“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
The above text verse tells us that “the Lord has “set before us life and death, blessings and curses” and we are advised to “choose life, so that you and your children may live.” The choice is ours to make. We live in an era of seemingly unlimited choices. This means we are confronted with so many decisions. There is such a thing as decision exhaustion as we are bombarded with having to make a multitude of decisions daily. The passage above relates to an episode in the history of Israel. These words which were addressed to Israel as a people, applied to each individual in particular; for the individual alone is free and responsible. To each human being the command is given, "Choose." What would happen to you if you were in the same valley of decision between these two mountains?
THIS CHOICE IS TO BE MADE BETWEEN TWO OPPOSITE ROUTES. "I have set before you life and death."
GOD IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. He was before all things; in him, they live and move and have their being; by him, all things consist. Life physical is from him; but so also, and in a much fuller fashion, is life spiritual. The inner man is from him and depends upon him for sustenance. And when his only begotten Son came into the world, he gave him to have life in himself (John 5:26), so that of him it could alone be said, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). We recognize in God, therefore," the Fountain of living waters," from which, to their great damage, men are separating themselves, as if the broken cisterns of their hewing could ever slake their thirst (Jeremiah 2:13).
The life God offers—the life Israel was to choose—was lived out in worship of God, in purity, justice, fairness toward the weak and poor, and through obedience to all the instructions Moses had laid out. Choosing life was choosing the Lord’s way above their own. Any other choice would lead to tragedy and death. We choose life when we choose God, who is the giver and sustainer of life (Acts 17:25). The Bible says God breathed the breath of life into humans (Genesis 2:7). Since our lives are a gift from God (Psalm 139:13; Acts 17:28), our highest aim ought to be living for Him.
Jesus said, “If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.” (Matthew 10:39, CEV). We choose life by letting go of selfish desires and living for God’s sake. Then we can say like the apostle Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Jesus Christ also speaks of the broad and of the narrow way: no middle course or third way. This classification does not exclude certain differences of degree which morally exist between men. In the broad as well as the narrow way various stages may have been reached; but there are only two courses leading to two opposite ends. At this hour you are standing at the Junction of these two ways, but henceforth you shall be walking in one or the other of them. Your destinies will vary infinitely, but all outward diversities are as nothing in comparison of the moral difference which shall result from your personal choice. Each day you will take a step further in either of these two paths; the greater your progress, the riper shall you be for salvation or for condemnation. Whilst this choice is still possible and comparatively easy, choose life!
The call of Moses to choose life was not only about obeying rules. It was a call to the heart: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12; see also Deuteronomy 6:5; 11:13–14). Jesus issued this same call as the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37–38).
Loving the Lord is the first step in choosing life. When we love the Lord, we desire to know Him intimately. We hear His voice and follow (John 10:3, 27). One feature of the relationship between a shepherd and his flock is that sheep always recognize their shepherd’s voice. As we get to know the Lord intimately, we become aware that He is our Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20). Whenever we might be tempted to turn away to the right or the left, our Shepherd is there, telling us the right way to go (Isaiah 30:21). We will obey and follow the voice of the Lord because we know and trust Him deeply.
Unlike the people of Israel let us remember that we have their revelation and more. We have even fuller knowledge of God’s word and will. We have the complete written Holy Scripture available to us, and we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us and guiding us to all truth. If we disobey the Lord’s word, we have even less excuse—and consequences just as severe.
So choose wisely this day whom you will serve. Be obedient and listen to the Holy Spirit that lives in those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When you cannot see the results of such faithfulness, trust God for the future and follow Him in the present. “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15
Choosing life is a daily decision, therefore we need to choose wisely because we are all living and dying with the choices we make. Our choices have consequences. Our choices determine the quality of our lives on earth and for eternity. If you reject, disobey, or ignore God's principles you are the one who gets hurt and will have to suffer eternal consequences.
God sets before people the opportunity to choose to love, obey, and hold closely to Him, which means life. What choices do you need to make about loving, obeying, and trusting in God?
Remember, life is God’s gift but our choice. To decide not to choose is a choice. Am I making any sense? Let me make it very clear—to decide not to choose good is always a choice to choose death.
Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Matthew 12:30 NLT). If you do not crown Jesus, you crucify Him. There is no middle ground. Dear Friend, the day of choice is today. Your decisions will determine your destiny.
