Human Response 312: Choose Life

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I call heaven to record this day against you, that I have ser before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life.

It has been said that our life is a series of choices. Some choices present themselves in crisis situations, others are habitual, formed by repetition to make a lifestyle. The teaching here is that every matter and every decision is a life or death matter. Everything we do, say, or decide will tend toward enhancing life or causing death. That truth gives us pause whenever we make a choice, whether large or small. What I choose is no small matter. Every choice has a consequence.

Think it through before deciding, but don’t get paralyzed. We don’t consciously think about every little choice we make, for we usually act and react out of what we are at heart. So the key is: change the heart. And that is not something we can do, but it is a work of the Holy Spirit through the gospel. He changes the heart by giving a New Life through faith in Christ. Therefore, choose life. When presented with the choice between life or death, blessing or curse, of course we will choose life. Who wouldn’t? But the issue is recognizing which choice is life and which is death. Jesus is Life. We choose Him always. Once we believe in The Life we are guided in our choices by knowing the Word of God, particularly the summary of the Law in the Ten Commandments. Thus we choose life by believing and obeying. And lo and behold, life is better!