Today’s Devotion
Topic: God of Restoration
(Self Assessment)
Background: Deuteronomy 28 spells out a lot of blessings and curses that should come upon those who obey or disobey the commands of our Lord, respectively.
But what should happen to a person who disregards these commands, backslides or goes his own way? Are they doomed forever? Is there the hope of a second chance?
It is the mystery answers behind these questions and more that today’s Bible study seeks to unravel. Call the family together, let us search the scriptures for answers.
Text: Deuteronomy 30: 1- 10
1 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,
3 then the Lord your God will RESTORE your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where He scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.
6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all His commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers,
10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. AMEN
Questions:
- Verses 1- 2 suggests that though the Lord makes known to us the blessings that come with obeying His word and the curses that will come if we don’t, some people will still disobey. In your opinion, why is it so?
- According to verses 2- 3, what are the conditions of restoration for those who backslide and stray from the commands of God?
- Even if disobedience took us so far from the fold of God, what assurance of restoration do we have in Him if we repent and seek His face? (Read vrs 4-5).
- Verse 6 talks about the Lord ‘circumcising our hearts and that of our descendents’:
a) What does it mean to have one’s heart circumcised?
b) Why is it necessary for the hearts of the backslidden who seek forgiveness to be circumcised?
- What will happen to the enemy who will hate and persecute you for the decision to come back to obeying the will of your Father (God)? (Read vrs 7)
- Verse 8- 10 gives an almost definite assurance of what will happen in our lives when we go through the above processes of coming back to God and what God will do for us if we do:
a) kindly explain what is to happen to us if we repent, come back to God and have our hearts circumcised by Him?
b) Also elaborate on the blessings that are to come our way after our obedience is complete.
- What have you learnt from Today’s Devotion and what advice will you give to all who have backslidden from the fold of God?
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