Choose Love

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:11-20, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Last week while fiddling around on the Internet, I came across the perfect piece of artwork for our son's room...

The poor little guy isn't yet five years old, and he's already heard us quote the above message to him approximately 399,741 times. By the time he's a teenager, I'm sure he'll have heard this message billions of times. Hopefully, the truth of this message will "click" with him in such a way that he'll begin making wise choices that lead to a full and fruitful life. Hopefully…

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Moses has been leading the Israelites for forty years—ever since their deliverance from Pharaoh out of Egypt. They have seen God’s amazing care and provision for them repeatedly, as well as having experienced God’s power up close and personal. Despite all God has done for them, Moses knows all too well how stubborn the Israelites can be and how often they choose to complain and see only the negative of any given situation—which explains why they are only now on the verge of the Promised Land. 

God has already told Moses that he won’t be entering the land with the people; Moses knows that he will soon die. These verses in Deuteronomy are part of his farewell speech—his last chance to guide the flock he’s been shepherding for so long, the last chance to help them. He will no longer be around to intercede with God on their behalf; they will have to sink or swim on their own now. So he lays it all out for them, in as much detail as possible. The Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, are filled with the instructions from God that Moses gives Israel on how to live. 

But in the end, Moses keeps it simple: Love God and choose life, or love other gods and choose death. 

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Poor Moses. I can imagine his frustration; I hear it in verse 19. Although the people have driven him nuts for decades, he cares about them. I think he’s worried because he knows them—their weaknesses as well as their strengths. He truly wants them to choose well; to know they will love God, live, and be blessed. Yet, he fears they won’t choose wisely. Perhaps that’s why he sounds so harsh—because he’s worried. 

Moses sets before the people a choice between blessings and curses, life and death. He cannot make this choice for them, but he does all he can to ensure they realize the importance of getting this decision right. God’s promises are on the line, promises that have passed down from generation to generation since the time of Abraham. The Israelites have seen with their own eyes what God can do for them and what life is like when God removes divine blessing. 

This decision involves more than individual assent to a set of propositions, however; it involves the whole community. Moses has set out the principles, regulations, commandments, and laws, but this choice comes down to more than simply following rules. At the very heart of the law is one command: "Love the Lord your God." Moses says this twice in these few verses: Fulfill the law by loving God. Those who love God will keep God’s commands and walk in God’s ways. Those ways will set Israel apart from the surrounding nations. Moses warns them not to let their hearts be drawn away by anything or anyone else. 

This remains the case for us today. The choice is ours, and Moses encourages us to love God and choose life! 


PRAYER:
Loving Father, thank you for being such a generous and wise parent to us—for giving us choices and for sending us guides to help us choose. By your grace, enlighten the eyes of our heart. Move deep within our hearts, revealing to us your goodness and generosity. And lead us, by your Spirit, to choose you—today and every day of our lives. Amen.


WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and I find it interesting that my little piece of intro artwork for Benjamin's room goes right along with the message Greg preached on yesterday. What a coinkidink...