choose well

A verse or two

"Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.”  Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Choose well.

Having the Vanuatu students stay with us was insightful at times as I think we overloaded them with choice. Their mouth dropped with amazement when walking into a huge sport store. Walking around the supermarket they were stunned with the variety and choice – but also astute enough to say how expensive many of the items were and it would be better to choose the simple things.

A reading I came across this week included Moses speaking on behalf of God offering the people a choice; life and prosperity or death and doom. They would receive life and prosperity if they loved God and obey his commandments and death and doom if they turned their hearts away from him. It was simple and not complicated. What is interesting many of the commandments for them to follow included some of the most ethical care for the needy and environmentally sensitive legislation ever set out for any nation. It is not like God’s guidance was a kill joy. Today we all know too much rich food creates a problem – simple unprocessed food works out healthier – and we have the freedom to choose.

This is the first Sunday of Lent; a kind of heads-up to prepare for Easter in six weeks time. Another reading I came across this week reminded me of the coming Easter weekend; “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22) May Christ’s actions which dealt to the Old Testament law giving us freedom of choice, inspire us to choose well.

God Bless,
Jon

To Ponder and Pray: Lenten thought.

“[Jesus said to his disciples] “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” ” (Luke 9:23)

Are you giving up anything this Lent? As it brings slight discomfort may we never forget the cost paid for us by Christ?