As many people grow older, they often look back on their life, frequently considering the decisions, the choices they made. They ponder whether they made the correct decision in this or that matter. They think about how things may have turned out differently, perhaps even better, if they had chosen this way, and not that way. We have choices to make every day. Though many of them are minor, some are of great importance, and may completely change the course of our life. Those decisions need to be carefully considered before they are made, and not decided upon a whim. Our Scripture for today comes near the end of the book. The people of Israel are preparing to enter the Promised Land, and Moses gives them some final words before he will die. They will have choices to make, and Moses is urging them to seriously consider what their decisions will be.
I know that when I have an important decision to make, I like to get the opinions and counsel of others, and particularly God’s guidance and say on the matter. The place where we can best find God’s guidance on matters is from His Word, the Bible. God’s Word is not hidden from us (vs. 11-14). We do not have to travel to the top of some high mountain to seek His Word from some hermit in a cave. We don’t need to go to some fortune-teller or psychic. It is found in the Bible, which God has given to us to read, if we choose to. If any are ignorant of what God has said, it is because they desire to be. God’s way has been made plain to us. Anyone who wants to know the Word of God can know the Word of God. The truth is here in the Bible, all the truth necessary for choosing to love and obey God.
As we continue in our passage, God sets before us a choice to make. The choice is to love and obey God, which will bring life and goodness. Or we can reject God, which will bring death and evil (vs. 15). If we choose to love God and obey His Word, we will enjoy His blessings. If we refuse to love and obey Him, our choice will bring judgment. The issue facing us is to enjoy salvation and blessing by loving God so wholeheartedly that we will willingly live to obey Him (vs. 16). God makes a solemn appeal to us to choose life, not death.
Choosing God is to choose life and to receive all of His blessings. The alternative, to choose to turn one’s back on the Lord and His Word, is to choose death (vs. 17-18). If one turns away from Yahweh, and chooses to go their own way, doing what they want in opposition to His Word, or chooses to worship and follow the myriad of false gods and false philosophies in this world, they have chosen to bring down judgment upon themselves.
We are challenged here to choose life, to obey God, and therefore to continue to experience His blessings (vs. 19-20). God doesn’t force His will on anyone. He lets us decide whether to follow Him, or reject Him. This decision is a life-or-death matter. God would like us all to choose life. We must affirm and reinforce this commitment daily. We are exhorted before God (heaven) and man (earth) to choose by believing in and loving God. The one who believes in Jesus has the promise of eternal life, while the one who refuses to believe faces eternal death. Every person faces this same choice (John 3:1-36).
You and I are called upon to make a decision. This decision must be made before we pass from this life. After that it is too late. God’s commands to us are not hidden. They are written down for all to read. They are not far off. They are available. Heaven and earth are invoked as God’s witnesses as to what His Word tells us. The choice is ours. The way has been made crystal clear. Therefore we cannot claim that we did not know. The way to blessings is as near to us as the Bible. Choose life, not death!
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