The Choice Of Blessings Or Curses

Deuteronomy 30:9-14

Many years ago I was at a party where there was a treasure hunt.  The guests were divided into several teams, and each team was given a series of clues to follow.  We had to follow these tricky, often difficult clues to find the “treasure” at the end. Several of the teams never made it to the end.  They were not able to reach the goal or the prize. It was beyond them, and unable to be obtained. Our Scripture passage today is from the Book of Deuteronomy, and here God tells us that we have a treasure that is not hidden from us, not something that is too far away, nor too difficult to obtain.

Here in the Book of Deuteronomy, the people of Israel have spent the past forty years traveling through the wilderness after escaping from slavery in the land of Egypt.  They are now on the east side of the River Jordan, ready to enter into the land promised to them by God. Moses is giving them some final instructions, as he will not be with them in the Promised Land.  The Book of Deuteronomy contains these last words of Moses, reminding them of the Laws that God had given them years earlier when they first left Egypt.

We all have choices to make, and these choices will bring results.  Choose option A and you get a certain result. Choose option B and you get another result.  We see this all over. Mix one set of ingredients and you get a cake. Mix other ingredients and you get spicy chili.  You can’t mix the chili ingredients and expect to get a cake! In our Scripture passage God tells people that they will receive blessings from Him if they obey His Words and follow Him with their whole heart and soul (vs. 9-10).  There is cause and effect. People wonder why their lives are so messed up and in a wreck.  We look around at the world today and wonder why it is in so much trouble. God clearly states here that when we obey His Words and follow Him, then He will bring His blessings upon us.  We can’t act one way and expect to get a different result.  We choose option A, and we will get that result. Chose option B, and we get it’s result.  We can choose to obey God and receive His blessings, or to disobey Him and face His judgment.  God loves to rejoice over His obedient children, rather than pronouncing curses for those who disobey.  The choice is ours, it’s up to us.

People often then ask how can we know what God really wants.  Some say that God is a mystery, and we have no way of knowing what His will is.  God’s Word, the Bible, contains His commandments. It contains everything necessary to know His will, and everything necessary for the salvation of our souls.  God’s Word is not hidden from us or beyond our reach (vs. 11-14). It is not hidden from us like the hidden treasure I needed to find at that party I attended. We do know what God wants us to do, and how He wants us to live.  His Word is right with us, if only we would bother to read it.

As we finish off the second decade of the 21st century, the full Bible has been translated into 683 languages, the New Testament into 1,534 languages, so just about everyone on earth would be able to read God’s Word in a language they could understand.  With the Internet available to multiple millions, the Scriptures are available to them online in multiple languages. No one can say that they cannot know what God wants from us. It is here in His Word. It is not hidden from us. His Word, the Bible, is available to everyone, if only they would accept it.

We all need to remember our past, when we lived in disobedience to God.  Remember that, and make the right choice to follow Him. To choose against God brings emptiness, pain, and death.  To choose God brings blessings, fulfillment, and life. Enjoy salvation and blessings by loving God and obeying His Word.  God’s Word is right available for everyone to read. It is not too difficult to understand, nor is it kept locked up, far away from everyone.  Everyone on earth is invited to accept God and His Word. But only those who choose to accept His invitation and obey will receive His blessings.