The Choice is OURS

This week I started reading in Deuteronomy during my quiet time. I thought I was going to read Joshua, but I beleive that God's Holy Spirit led me to Dueteronomy instead.
Basically, Deuteronomy is a history lesson for the Israelites of their journey out of Egypt, and into the 40 year period of wandering in the desert until they reached the land promised to them by God. The book highlights what they have experienced.

I have only read the first eleven chapters as of today and have been stuck again and again by the words God spoke (thru Moses) to His chosen people.

Here a quite a few of them:

Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God.

Observe them carefully for this will show your wisdom and understanding.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.

So, be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you.

BE careful that you do not forget the LORD.

Fear the LORD your God and serve Him only; do not follow other gods.

Remember, how the LORD your God led you all the way...to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.

And now..what does the LORD your God ask of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to observe the LORD"S commands and decrees.

Fear the LORD your God and serve Him. HOLD fast to Him.

BE careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship the other gods.

Fix these words of mine on your hearts and minds.

If I counted them all, I'm sure there would be over 100 of these like phrases.

WHAT IS GOD TRYING TO TELL US?

THAT WE NEED HIM EACH AND EVERYDAY.

So often we find ourselves in troubling times. A crisis hits our life or someone that we care about. We make fast track to the LORD with our requests , we need HIM to show us that He is there, that He cares. And we are grateful that we can turn to Him.

Repeatedly in Deuteronomy, we are told not to forget God's words. That we are to obey His commands. That we are to hold fast to Him.

Do you ever wonder why?

I am convinced it is because God knows us; He truly knows us.
He knows that we come to Him with our concerns and hold tight for awhile.
Things get better and ease up; and we tend then to forget about Him.
Until the next time.

Why do we do this?
Do I really think I can navigate the maze of my life without Him ?
Do I believe I could possibly have a better plan than the ONE who created and sustains life?

He knows how fickle I can be, how fickle you can be.
HE gave us laws which are the 10 commandments( also found in Deuteronomy 5) and commands, because HE knows the BEST ways, He has the BEST plans and His ways and Plans are so much more grander than ours.

So sometimes I obey and seek Him with all my heart and soul, and then other times I think I can do this thing called life by myself. And usually when I go off on my own, I tend to get off track. Do you?

WE believe we can do it. We think we know the way. We think to ourselves "Oh i don't need to bother God with this", which in actuality is saying we know better than He. Which is when its easy to be tricked into believing the enemy's lies. And to seek after things that quite possibly, we never would have dreamed we could be attracted to while we walked in dependence of God.

God also reminds us to remember what HE has done in our lives, where HE has taken us, how He has been with us every step of our lives, whether we were aware of Him or not. Why does He ask us to do this? Because we NEED to remember His faithfulness to us; to remember how much He loves us and cares for us, and to be reminded that He is with us now.

We are given the commands to seek Him, to obey Him , to not forget His words, to hold fast to Him and to Love Him with all that we are.
Then He tells us we have a choice:

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way I command you today."

We have the choice of being blessed by God or cursed by God?
What will you choose for your life?