Commanded!

Commanded!

I command you today to love the Lord your God. I command you to follow him and to obey his commands, laws, and rules. Then you will live, and your nation will grow larger. And the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take for your own. Deuteronomy 30:16 ERV

Just before Israel would enter into the promised land of Canaan, God took out time to commission a memorial/reminder to his people of how far they had come, what they stood to gain from remaining obedient and what they stood to lose if they rebelled. One thing about God that stands clear from his Word is this: He leaves no one in any doubt about the consequences of his/her actions. If you obey, you get the blessing; if you disobey, you get the curse. Simple as that.

Moses had himself been a beneficiary of both ends. He had been the source of torment to all of Egypt; had brought plagues and death to the land, then moved a host of people through the Red Sea into unknown territories, seen God move in miraculous provision and protection. Yet, at the point of entry into the promised land, Moses made a costly mistake which cost him entry. So, his message to Israel in today's extract is both a personal message as well as a generational one. You don't get to play familiarity with God; His commands are really not negotiable.

He does give us a choice to make, but when you think of the consequences of rebellion, you do not want to go down that road. Moses is practically commanding Israel to love God and to follow and obey His rules and commands. That is the secret to long life and permanent possession of all of God's promises. Obedience holds both personal and generational blessings: you get to live long, the nation gets to grow larger and you and the land get to enjoy God's blessings. I do not know anything that can beat that. Do you?

The only secret to God's blessings is the path of daily obedience. You can't switch it on and off; it's got to be a daily walk; a daily love affair with God. You may not always get it right, but God sees our hearts and His help is always available to set us right and on the path to eternal life, which is His ultimate promise. Have you met this God? Have you surrendered to Him? His time of favour is here.