“Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 28 But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28
“But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: 16 Your towns and your fields will be cursed. 17 Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be cursed. 18 Your children and your crops will be cursed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be cursed. 19 Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed.” Deuteronomy 28:15-19 NLT
God of blessings and curses,
Sometimes it is hard for us to see You as Judge, as disciplinarian. We prefer to see You as a God who loves, forgives and provides. But there is evil still at work in this world and still causing pain and using human hands and lives to do ill.
We do look forward to heaven and know that evil cannot enter and we would not want it to or those ruled by it. And we know that You have to clearly show what is right and wrong. That has never changed since the Garden. And we know how easily temptation can look good and how soon murder and jealousy were evident in the first generation of Adam and Eve! And good people do suffer in this life.
We look at our world and the misuse of money, sex and power and the curse it brings to many. I say misuse because You do send riches and positions to some who use it for good. We wonder at the pain many can suffer at the hands of one man or woman. One day You will judge us all. Thank God we have Jesus, but Your Son is not a get out of jail free pass. He reads hearts and minds and knows us all full well. Even if we struggle sometimes. You give us Your armor ( Ephesians 6:10-13) and safe passage to heaven (Hebrews 11:6,16) Deliver us from evil and keep us choosing Your way. And we pray that those who refuse to know You will come to nothing and be brought down. Those who can will find You in an unexpected miraculous way.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 20th March 2024
I will choose Christ
I will choose love
I choose to serve
I give my heart
I give my life
I give all to You
Some days are hard
And I fight to see the truth
But I’m gonna take a stand
In all I say and do
Chorus
Some fall away
And some refuse to see
A willing and humble heart
I pray You’ll find in me
Chorus
You are grace
You are peace
You are hope and healing
You are faith
You are joy
You are God revealing
Jesus
My Lord and King
Lyrics: Tom Booth Kathy Triccoli