Good morning!
Text: Deuteronomy 11-13; Psalm 43
In Deuteronomy 11:26-28 we find a powerful and basic principle. The Lord blesses those who are obedient to Him while He curses those who are not.
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God…”
That was the code of life for the Old Testament Jews as they lived “under the Law,” which is actually bondage. Slavery is the case when our relationship to the rules (what to obey) gets in the way of our relationship to the rule-giver. We are not under the Law, having been set free from bondage by Jesus’ blood. That said, the principle that obedience brings blessing still stands.
Jesus says the ones who obey Him are the ones who love Him (John 14:21). As those who are saved, it is an act of love to obey Him. When we do, His blessings flow. When we do not, the blessings dry up. I know for sure that the choice to obey Jesus always leads to experiencing the blessings of His good pleasure. Included are love, joy, and peace. The challenge to my heart this morning is this question: “In that patch in my life where I am having trouble being obedient, what could possibly be worth my holding back?”
in Him, Mike