Day 62

Curses and Blessings

Read: Deuteronomy 27-28

If you stand at Jacob’s tomb in Samaria you can see before you Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Moses commanded the Israelites, when they entered the Promised Land, to go to this place and have a ceremony solemnly reminding them of the tragic results of disobedience and the wonderful blessings flowing from obedience.

This passage is first of all addressed to Israel as a nation. She had been graciously chosen by God, but her continuance as the people for special blessings depended on her obedience to him. In fact, she was disobedient, so disobedient that God made a new covenant with his people in Christ.

Israel was to be a people so blessed of God that she would be a testimony to the world. Now the church is in that place of privilege and responsibility. Paul in his letters as well as Jesus in his letters to the churches in Revelation remind us that we too could lose that privileged position if we fail in our responsibilities to God. Are you all wrapped up in your own goals of personal pleasure or is your top priority that you as part of Christ’s church will carry out his mission?

God’s people are called to a life of joyful worship (28:47). When you enter the church sanctuary, can you honestly say that you are there worshiping God with “gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things”?

PRAYER
Father, enable us to worship you aright. In Jesus’ name. Amen.