It's Not Hard

I was reading my Bible today, and I came across this verse in Deuteronomy, chapter 30.

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil."

In context, God had just explained to Israel that if they love and obey Him, they will be blessed, but if they reject Him and rebel, they will be cursed.

As sinful humans, we like to make things harder than they are.  Actually, life isn't as hard to understand as it might seem.  We can say, "Yes, God," or we can say, "No, God."

A person can look at the wonders of creation with its endless examples of intelligent design and say either, "Yes, there must be a God," or "No, all of this is the product of chance."

We can either accept God's authority over us or reject it by making up endless reasons as to why He doesn't exist.

A person can either read God's preserved Word, the Bible, and choose faith in Christ, or reject Him.  We can either submit ourselves to the Bible's endless teaching of justification by faith, or we can twist the Word to make it say as we please.

With these basic of all decisions comes also two different results.  Saying, "Yes, God," brings life and good.  Saying "Yes" to God's authority as seen in creation, saying "Yes" to His revealed truth in the Bible, and, ultimately, saying "Yes" to Jesus Christ and asking Him to save you will result in life and good.

However, saying "No" will bring death and evil.  Saying "No" to God's authority as witnessed by creation will result in an emptiness that can't be filled by anyone or anything.

Saying "No" to God's truth as revealed in the Bible will leave one empty, deceived, and destitute.

Ultimately, saying "No" to God's forgiveness that is offered through repentant faith in Jesus Christ will leave one destined for Hell when life comes to a close.

Life is full of many hard things, and some things are hard to understand, but the most important thing in life is quite simple, bow your heart to the truth of the Bible and turn to Jesus for forgiveness, or remain obstinate and set in your ways and suffer the consequence of eternal damnation.

Say, "Yes, God," and find endless joy and fulfillment, even in the worst of times, or say, "No, God," and be empty and miserable, even in the best of times.

When I read my Bible, I want to have a heart that is always willing to say, "Yes, God."  Gratefully, Jesus is my Savior, and I can't lose my salvation, but I can get myself into some miserable situations by saying, "No, God" when the Lord is trying to teach me through His Word.  When I read about the need to forgive, I want to say, "Yes, I'll do that."  When I read His commands to be different than the world, I want to say, "Yes, I'll do that."  When I read about the need to be constantly grateful, I want to say, "Yes, by God's grace, I'll do that."

God is merciful.  He didn't have to give me a choice at all, because I don't deserve anything good, but He did, and I'm grateful.

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil."