I could spend hours in Deuteronomy 11. The boundaries are set up, they are simple to follow, do not leave any room for doubt or questions, straightforward and to the point – this is what it looks like to follow Jesus.
No one will be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the fear and dread of you on all the land on which you set foot, as he promised you. I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – Deuteronomy 11:25-26
There are secrets to making this all happen. If you are like me, worship plays an incredible part in my walk with Jesus. Worship is an act of hope for the one day when Jesus returns – for all of us, creation included – will worship Him together
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth. – Psalm 96:11-13 NRSV
Shame on me if I am only thinking of myself to be ready for such a day. Can you imagine Hezekiah being so selfish. Every king was given the same promise given to David and one by one they failed to be faithful – they chose curses instead of blessings. Hezekiah was the last opportunity and all he could think was that he would not see the curse in his lifetime.
Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” – Isaiah 39:8 NRSV
Shame on me if when I find myself slipping away from my walk with God and I do not stop, turn around and run back into the arms of Jesus. Even when judgement comes, so hard to believe that many of us will not turn back and repent.
The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts. – Revelation 9:20-21 NRSV
Lord, may my heart be attentive to Your loving arms around me, may my faith and hope be strengthened by Your blessings and should I find myself leaving Your side for even a moment, my the curses that come my way jar me and make me awake to the fact that somehow we have disconnected. May I find myself taking a moment each day to repent so that I will always be right with you. Amen
evanlaar
Sixty-six books in a year 