Choose Life

 

Deuteronomy 30:19 AMPC
¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live

By the time we get to the 30^th chapter of Deuteronomy Moses has gone over much of what God expects and promises to His children. Moses is working his way through the instructions for living a righteous life and what to expect that God will do in return.

In this one verse he calls them to personal accountability. Moses won’t be there much longer to guide them and discipline them as the one who talks to God face to face. They are going to have to become disciplined themselves, holding themselves accountable to living in a way that brings honor to the Father and the Blessing to them.  He poses a simple question. Will you choose Life or Death, Blessing or Cursing?

The question remains the same for us today. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:33 AMPC
³³ But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

Today’s world is cluttered by distraction and overloaded with information. Making a decision with too much input is harder than having just a couple of choices. What’s for dinner? We have hamburger, steak, soup… What kind of soup? Chicken Noodle, Chicken with dumplings, Cream of Chicken… And that’s just chicken! Let’s order in. Chinese, Mexican, maybe a salad from that place we like (it’s always Mexican by the way), and that’s just dinner! I find I must remind myself, of what’s most important these days. Seek Him first. Make Him my priority.

Matthew 6:34 AMPC
³⁴ So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

We recently made a purchase we had been planning for over 2 years. We went back and forth, this or that, what works for us and what doesn’t. It became frustrating and time consuming. We finally gave up. We put 1 Peter 5:7 to work.

1 Peter 5:7
⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

“Father, you know what’s best for us. You know what we can afford. You know how to get it to us.” We quit looking. The perfect thing fell into our lap. More than meeting expectations and satisfying the parameters we needed for a good price. I learned a valuable lesson…again.

My Mom always told me, “Trust God with the little things because He cares about what you care about”. I could tell so many stories about finding good parking, or a screw I just dropped. When we give Him a chance to help us, He will. Again, it comes down to our personal choice. Moses said, “Choose Life”. Jesus said, “Choose me first”. He wants to demonstrate His love for us.

Psalms 103:4
…Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Whatever you’re facing today, big or small, choose to focus on Him first. Choose to make Him the priority. Choose to speak His Word over your situation and choose to let Him work on your behalf. You may be facing a serious illness, a financial, job or family issue. In the darkest hour, when we feel hopeless or defeated, He will come through if we choose to focus on Him. I find that when I’m when I’m in that valley, He’s there with me. I just have to choose to acknowledge Him, speak His Word purposely even though I don’t feel it. An amazing thing happens when we choose life in the shadow of death. A miracle happens. Our soul is encouraged and faith rises up. God meets us where we are and leads us to the mountaintop.

Choose Life, speak Life, focus on Him because He is faithful.

Numbers 23:19 NLT
¹⁹ God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?