I always chuckle when I read Deuteronomy 30:19b “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life...”  God doesn’t say, “I am so glad you chose life.”  No on the contrary He says, “So choose life.”  In other words, we actually need to be told what to choose.  He even says in verse 11 “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand or perform…” But regardless of Him knowing it’s not difficult, He still has to tell us to do it, because He has given us the right to make choices in our life – good or bad.  Sadly we often choose the bad.  Oh if it were so easy, He wouldn’t have to tell us to choose life, we would just do it.

 Possibly one of our biggest problems is we try to live our life by making decisions on our own, without the help of  the Holy Spirit guiding and directing us.  So how do we choose life?  We first have to choose to want to have blessings and life.  Then it is putting God first in our life.  It’s devoting oneself to spending time with Him daily preferably a few times a day, mediating on Him, His word, and practicing His presence.  It’s diving in the word and allowing it to renew our mind, change our behaviors and let it rule our life.  It is living a life of prayer, but not just prayer, but having a relationship with the Lord dialoging with Him sharing your life with Him, your thoughts with Him, and allowing time for Him to respond to you, and for Him to share Himself with you and His thoughts towards your concerns. 

Are you at a place where you want more of Him and less of a life of struggles?  Are you tired of day to day conflicts?  Are you just worn out and tired?  God has a great life for you, specific plans for your life and peace and joy just around the corner.  His life-changing answers are found in Mathew 11:28-30 (The Message) “Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life.  I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Beloved Father, may we choose life and experience it in abundance to the full till it overflows in us, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!