Fullness of Blessings Only Through Obedience
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (NASB)
1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.
12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.
SUMMARY
Moses teaches the younger generation of Israelites that in order to experience the rich blessings of God, they must first obey the Lord’s commands. We must be careful, be diligent, and not turn aside from any of God’s words, neither to the right or the left. If we do these things, the joys and bountiful blessings of God will be ours, and we will be established and set apart as His people.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
The fullness of God’s blessings can be experienced only if we diligently obey God’s commands detailed in his word. We are promised generous blessings, to be blessed no matter where we go, in all of our work, and the blessings will be passed and multiplied to our children and possessions. But these blessings are under the condition of only if we obey.
I realize as I study and meditate in Deuteronomy, that I have not put as much due emphasis on the importance of obeying God’s commands. My faith walk was more singularly focused on resting in the unconditional love and grace of Jesus, but I did not completely nor consciously obey God’s commands in my day-to-day living. I think because I do not outwardly commit any horrible sins, I was prone to think I have not gone against any of God’s commands. I’m thankful to read through Deuteronomy which emphasizes diligent, careful obedience and righteous living, versus simply understanding. It correctly shapes my understanding of how I’m called to obey by the grace and power of God.
APPLICATION
I plan to review my past Daily Living Water books on Deuteronomy and re-read my notes and highlights. I want to more deeply understand the essence behind God’s commandments to the Israelites, even though they may not apply to me literally in my context.
I will also pray at the beginning of each day, that God would show me ways to obey him, and that the Holy Spirit would help me obey. I will be more prayerful and intentional during my days to obey him with the essence of his commands in mind. I began doing this slowly since I began quiet time in Deuteronomy. I asked the Holy Spirit to show me and help me obey the Lord. God has been making ways, and performing restoration in my heart and my family. I will continue to keep asking and obeying in faith.
PRAYER
Dear Gracious God, thank you for helping me to learn that I must diligently obey your commands, and it’s not enough to simply understand. Thank you for your unfathomable love that is behind your commands. Thank you for your promises to prosper me, my family, and all your children if we trust you and obey.
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