Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Blessing of Curses?

Deuteronomy 28:47 ... because you did not serve Jehovah your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, 

I found two things in this verse that surprised me:  the reason we lose our joy and gladness and the results of that loss.  Do you see it?  Moses told the nation of Israel it was the abundance of all things that stole joy!  Isn't that a striking statement?  As an American, I live in a culture that bombards me with messages of reaching for something better:  the latest phone, a new career, a drug to solve my every problem (and create a hundred others--but that's the small print).  Here, in the Word, my Father says when I have too much, I'll lose my joy.  

The other piece--the results of losing our joy is equally shocking.  God cares deeply about our happiness.  He longs for us to live with joy and gladness...to enjoy the life He has given to us.  He cares so deeply, in fact, He will send curses upon His loved ones.  Another shocking thought, isn't it?  That is the context of this message.  Moses has just told the people that blessings are conditional; if they choose to not heed the Word, God will send curses.  We don't like messages that say God sends bad stuff.  Accepting that God allows hard things is hard enough--that He sends hard things is almost too much.  We want God to just pour out the good. 

Our heavenly Father knows us well, though.  When He pours out the good, we become a fertile field for the tempter to sow seeds of greed.  We want more.  We become convinced we deserve more--that God is holding back on us.  We do the one thing that will destroy us: we set out to prove ourselves, to fulfill ourselves.  God says, "I love you too much to leave you on your own.  I'll do whatever it takes to bring you back to me."  Therein we find the blessing of the curses.

This is a perspective of hard times we need to grab hold of and put deep in our hearts.  We need it for our hard times, and we really need it when the ones we love face tough stuff.  The glory of God must remain our focus.  Love allows a struggle.  May this little video inspire you to believe that truth and embrace the blessings God gives--in every form!







No comments:

Post a Comment