What comes to mind when you think of God’s blessings? For me, the word favor comes to mind. I want God’s hand so evident on my life that His favor can be seen in every aspect. Deuteronomy 28 is some of the most exciting and vivid language in all the Scriptures. God tells His people that His blessings shall come upon them and overtake them (v2). God says in verse eight, He will “command” His blessings upon them. Can you get the image in your mind of God commanding His blessings on your life or what it is to be overtaken by them? These are exciting verses to explore.
As exciting as God’s blessings are, it is not the foundation of these scriptures. We see in both verses one and two that it is obedience that brings the blessings of God. How often do we get this in reverse? Many Christians today think they are to pursue God’s blessings. No! In reality, we are to pursue obedience, and as we are obedient to the Lord, it brings His blessings into our lives. Note verse one says, we are to carefully obey His voice. The word careful means to pay attention to, to be on guard. Is obedience to the Lord such a priority in your life that you pay careful attention to it?
God has been teaching me the difference between strategic and responsive obedience. As my children are getting older, there are certain things I expect them to do without being told. The other day, my nine-year-old announced as we were driving down the road that she forgot her shoes. I thought to myself, how do you walk outside on a cold driveway and get into a cold vehicle without realizing you are not wearing shoes?
There are many things in the Christian life we ought to know as we mature in our faith. Strategic obedience should be automatic in areas where I know what the Lord expects of me. Responsive obedience is when I sense promptings from the Holy Spirit. I want to be quick to obey His voice in the smallest of details. I think a good example of this is tithing. Planned and systematic giving should be strategic obedience. I should not have to have the Holy Spirit prompt me to tithe. It should be automatic. However, there will be promptings from the Holy Spirit to give to certain individuals or situations from time-to-time that are above and beyond my tithing. I see this as responsive obedience. To pursue obedience is to pursue spiritual maturity.
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