February 24th

February 24th -- Deutoronomy 30 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2030&version=NLT)

A call to return to the Lord and a choice of life or death.

After repeating all the instructions of the covenant to the Israelites, Moses speaks on the time when they will experience both those blessings and curses. He says that when they do, if they truly turn back to God then God will restore them, have mercy on them, and gather them back from where they had been scattered - even if that had beent he ends of the earth. He says God will return them to the land He gave them and they will be even more prosperous then than their ancesstors were. He goes on to say He will change their hearts so they and their ancestors shall love Him and it is their enemies who will face these curses. He also says that then God will make them successful in all they do. God delights in those who obey Him.

Now, Moses goes on to say that really, it isn't a hard command to understand. He is giving them, though, the choice between life and death. He says that they are being commanded to love God and follow His commandments - those who do choose life and blessings but those who do not choose death and destruction. He says that heaven and earth will be the witnesses of the choice they make between life/blessings and death/curses. He also throws in that he hopes they choose life. He then repeats that loving God and committing firmly to Him is the key to life and if they do both (love and obey) they will live long in the land God gave to their ancestors.

Now, I find that the part about God delighting in those who obey Him stood out a fair bit. Maybe that's just because I needed to hear it. Because *warning actually putting in some stuff about me and my life* I tend to feel lonely a lot of the time. I can sit in a whole room of people and feel completely alone. Now, a lot of the time that I don't get along with someone well is because we have very different moral values that tend to cause us to disagree or fight. My values are the Biblically based ones and theirs are not so much. So, mine are the ones that cause me to obey God on those matters. Now, I feel VERY segregated and lonely a lot of the times because of that. I was actually quite upset over the matter earlier due to some things that kind of made it all come bubbling to the surface. So seeing verse 10 ("The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey His commands and...") gave me a great sense of peace. God will bless me for those times. *turning off personal stuff now* God bless those of us who keep His commands and commit to Him and really turn our hearts and souls to Him. He will bless us for doing what is right. So when you feel alone or attacked or just like you don't fit in because you did the right thing, remember that - you may be hurting now, but God WILL bless you for it. So CHOOSE LIFE and BE BLESSED! ☺

Well, I think that will be all!
Shalom!
God bless!