The Blessing and the Curse

Scripture: 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, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

Observation: This of course is the great confusion of "the law" ... that it is both a blessing and a curse. Later, Paul will write that those who are "under the law" are "under its curse". However, with the ten commandments listed, and with other instructions and directions about eating and behavior and harvest and tithing, there is one thing consistent about the "curse". That consistency is that it always ties back to only one action - turning away from God and toward other gods.

In these verses, Moses twice summarizes the law. In verse 1, he summarizes it as loving the Lord and thus keeping his commands. In verse 13, he equates "obey my commands" with "love the Lord your God." Just before those, in 10:12, he says all the Lord requires of them is to fear the Lord, love him, walk in his ways, and obey his commands. This is almost word-for-word consistent with the teach of Jesus, and of the prophets, and of the apostles. It is fair character summary of David as documented by Samuel - a man after God's own heart despite his sins.

So obedience is loving God, which then brings a blessing - and that blessing is God's love. Then, what is the curse and the path to it? Moses repeatedly calls out the path. It isn't just sin, but rather starts with going after other gods and turning from God. This produces not just sin, but lack of repentance and eventually a distance from God. And that distance is then the curse ... separation from God.

Application: Here in the pacific northwest of the U.S., most people are very separated from God. However, not thinking about the obvious "lost" people today, I worry about those friends I have that are now very removed from any interaction with God. They have drifted ... they are going after the other gods of secular society. What are those gods? Money, social status, material comfort, professional success, public respect, nice houses, worldly experiences, fineries of all kinds, friendships, physical pleasure.

It sounds cliché because I have heard it many, many, many times, but in all cases, where someone invests their time and money is their god. If they work 12 hours a day ... if they go into revolving debt over food and drink ... if they spend all night on Facebook ... if they pursue sexual conquests ... these are their gods.

So honestly: What is my god? Do I spend the majority of my time pursuing my relationship with the Lord? It isn't possible for me to spend 12-16 hours a day at church or in prayer. However, I can do four things to ensure I pursue God's blessing by loving God.

1) Continually remember that my job is my holy vocation, the work here is his work, and thus focus my efforts on serving him and others.

2) Continually serve my family as part of his family, and by loving my wife and kids with attention and personal sacrifice know that I am loving God.

3) Pray continually about all things, placing trust in God for guidance, wisdom, and comfort.

4) As a product of my love for God, continually obey his commandments.

Prayer: Lord, I do ask you aid me in keeping these concepts at the forefront of my mind. I have written your law on my heart. Please bind it upon my hands and keep it before my eyes daily. Amen.