Conditional Blessings

CONDITIONAL BLESSINGS

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Vv. 17-18a: “But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.”

Obedience to God often is the difference between life and death. No joke.

Substitution=Disobedience devotion lesson showed that God ripped Saul’s kingdom away because of his disobedience. To compare, first grader, Levi, was only embarrassed when he tried taking more than one piece of candy from the Halloween treats barrel. His teacher could have demanded more for his disobedience. (Take a note home for a parent’s signature, or write down, “I will not take more than one piece of candy,” one hundred times, for example). But she showed Levi mercy.

Kids understand all about family rules. Some teach: like keeping one’s room straight, mowing the lawn, or washing the dishes. Family rules are for kids’ best welfare. “Come inside as soon as it gets dark” shows a parent’s concern for the child’s safety.

Teenagers learn curfew [KER-fu] is the time kids are to be home. Parents set curfew times to prevent late-night unsupervised temptations, (most sins happen under cover of night). While most family rules aren’t conditional—kids eat food and have clothes to wear even when they’re disobedient, other rules hinge on specific obedience: “You may not drive the car if you don’t pass driver’s education,” for example.

Kids usually complain about the chores parents assign. But they know their obedience makes parents happy, ensuring a peaceful home. When kids grow up, they realize that parent’s rules were pretty easygoing. Obedience was mostly painless. They realize that many rules protected themselves from harm. And, the stricter the family rule, the more it protects children from their own mischief! People realize the extent of parent’s mercy when raising their own kids.

God’s condition of obedience to realize blessings (for the Israelites) was: ”Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it [living in the Promised Land] may go well with you and your children after you.” (Deuteronomy 12:28). Those who think that the Bible contains too many rules, don’t see God’s mercy in His commands—always for our own good.

Whenever we obey, God blesses generously, abundantly. The opening Scripture links obedience to life.

Take Home Nugget

The Bible lists God’s family rules. Book of Instruction Before Leaving Earth is a handy way to remember that the Bible is must-reading for God’s kids to live victoriously now, and through eternity. No joke.

J.D. Griffith

Then let me love my Bible more
And take a fresh delight
By day to read these wonders o’er
And meditate at night.

Watts

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