Deuteronomy 30:15-20 – Choose life

Moses laid out two paths before the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:15-20. One path would lead to life and prosperity, the other to death and adversity. The former would enable them to live and multiply and receive the blessing of God in the promised land where they would soon enter to possess. The latter would lead them to their end. Their days in the promised land would be cut short and they would surely perish.

However, Moses made it clear that the choice to take which of the two paths was theirs to make. Being concerned for them to make the right decision, Moses urged them to choose the former rather than the latter. He passionately pled with them to love the Lord their God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments. Moses however, also urged them not to choose the perilous alternative. They should not allow their hearts to lead them astray, turn away from God, walk in disobedience, and pursue other gods to worship and serve them. This was one decision they should never make.

In verse 19, Moses must have sensed that he had discharged his responsibility. He had made known the two alternatives and urged them strongly to take the one that would lead to life and prosperity. So he called on heaven and earth to witness that he had shown the two alternatives to the people with the best of his ability. He had urged them to make the right decision to honor God and experience the blessing that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the covenant.

Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians that God had chosen us to be His children before the foundation of the world. As His sons and daughters, each of us must now choose to live for Him. In choosing to live for Him we will be choosing life. Our daily victory is dependent on what decision we make each new morning. We must decide every morning to love the Lord our God. We must choose to obey His voice and cling to His promises. Our goal is determined by the decision we make each living moment. So don’t be myopic. Choose rightly and live!