“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.“ You presented the people with two choices. Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed??
Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.
You did not hide who You are or how to please You from these people. You plainly spoke to them through Moses. As Your Word says, You did not place this knowledge beyond their reach. They did not have to mystically ascend to the heavens or even cross a sea to find it.
Neither do I. You proclaimed it before them in words they understood. And You share it with me, in many translations and versions of the Bible so I can know one from the other.
I choose blessing.
Centuries later You spoke with the Pharisees, pointing out their hypocrisy. They wanted to look good from the outside but were not living honorable lives. You challenged them to be humble and teach the people truth instead of hoarding status.
You challenged them to put down pride and be humble before the people they were supposed to be teaching. You warned them that they were hindering the people in their understanding of scripture by loading them down with superfluous requirements they themselves didn’t even do.
You accused them of revering the prophets You had sent, only after they had killed them. As You spoke to them, they could have responded to all this teaching and rebuking with humility and obedience. But they did not. You speak to hypocrisy in my life too.
Father, let me respond with humility and obedience. I choose the blessing.
Your Word is freely available to me. Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing. Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by example.
Help me live in obedience and humility to receive Your blessing. Strengthen me to turn from hypocrisy and live in honesty in these times.
Only one way is life, all others are death. I choose life. Thank You for showing me the way. Amen
Daily Bible Prayer 