Choose Life

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Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19-20

19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

 

Meditation:

            Today’s scripture is a very specific promise to the Hebrew people. It was given by Moses just prior to his death and Israel was about to enter into the Promised Land. Although it was given to this specific people at a specific time and for a particular reason. I believe it does have some relevance for us today where and when we live.

            Since Jesus set down a very similar choice for his followers in Matthew chapter 25. Those who see Jesus in the poor, naked and imprisoned will go on to eternal life while those that don’t will go on to an eternity without God’s love. Our choice means a lot.

            Among those who don’t believe in God any choice will do. If you don’t believe in an afterlife and the rewards and punishments of that afterlife what does it matter what choices you make in this life. So we Christians are not to judge the secular world for their choices since God will ultimately make that judgment.

            However, we who name Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord must be careful to choose life. We must make sure that our faith is more than a mental assent to certain doctrines, but rather a choice to trust in the crucified one with all our heart, mind and soul.

By faith you have been saved not by works lest anyone should boast. So let us boast if we must in the cross and the one who died on it. Let us do the works that such a wondrous love would make possible for us to do.

To God Alone be the Glory!

 

Prayer:

Heavenly Lord, give us the strength to choose life this day in all we believe, do, and say. Forgive us for the times when we have chosen the death dealing ways of this world and have failed to live up to our great calling in Christ Jesus. Fill us with your Holy Spirit to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. In Jesus name we ask this, Amen

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