Obey and be Blessed

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Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:2-6 (NLT)

2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

3 Your towns and your fields

will be blessed.

4 Your children and your crops

will be blessed.

The offspring of your herds and flocks

will be blessed.

5 Your fruit baskets and breadboards

will be blessed.

6 Wherever you go and whatever you do,

you will be blessed.

 

Devotion:

            Today’s scripture contains a series of great beatitudes. This instruction is given to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the promised land. It is a conditional promise. The people must obey the instructions given earlier in this message. Are these words for today? Yes and no. These specific words were given to a specific people at a certain time and are not directly applicable to us today. However, there is a principle found here which we can apply to our lives today. Let us learn what we can from these ancient promises.

 

            First of all, we must be aware that before these promises of blessing there were words of curses that would befall the people if they did not obey. We cannot accept the blessings of the Lord if we are not also prepared to accept the curses as well. Therefore, let us hear these words in their context.

 

            Before we get any further along in this discussion, let us clear up one preliminary idea. These blessings come through obedience. They are not related to salvation. We are saved through the finished work of Jesus upon the cross. Nothing can be added or subtracted from what Jesus has done for us and our salvation. Our obedience will not bring salvation only our faith in Jesus can bring salvation. It is important to realize that we should obey because we have been saved not obey in order to be saved.

 

            This is the basic principle that applies to us today. We may receive blessings if we obey, we may also receive curses if we disobey. Jesus tells us to expect resistance to the message of his salvation. So, being a Christian does not mean that everything will be smooth sailing for us. However, being an obedient Christian and truly living for the Lord may bring about blessings now and definitely will bring about blessings stored up in heaven for us.

 

            Let us therefore, live lives that are worthy of the name Christian. What things must we do in order to be considered obedient Christians? We must obey by loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. And love our neighbor as ourselves. These two laws are the starting point for all obedience. Let us pray and ask the Lord to make us obedient servants.

 

Prayer:

            Lord, we worship you with our whole hearts today. Teach us to love you and one another better. Help us to know and do what you command us to do. Give us strength to endure times of persecution and discrimination against us for obeying your laws of love. In Jesus precious name we pray. Amen.

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