"And I command you today: Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess." Deuteronomy 30:16 The Message Translation
This verse is perfect for yesterday's blog post. Moses is telling his people that God wants them to obey him, and follow his commands and regulations. If they do, they will live happy peaceful lives in the land that they had been promised and were about to enter. It sounds so good...do what you're told and you will be happy...
Why does this bother me so much? Even if I try to be good and do good, I mess up. Is that why I'm not as happy as I could be in this life? Even if I can't be good, I know people who ARE good...do good things, help people, love people, follow the rules...why do bad things still happen to THOSE people?
I guess I have to go "beyond the sun" for that answer. God, who created us and knows us so well, knows that even though it IS just that simple...follow my commands and you will be happy...he knows that we are weak and we mess up. It's impossible for us to be perfect and always do the right thing. We have a choice in what we do, and unfortunately, we choose wrong...a lot...and have to live with thie results. And, many times, it's the choices of others in our lives that also affect us as well. No wonder we are all so unhappy all the time!
But, God loves us enough to give us a way out...he gave us Jesus. Jesus took the punishment for our mess-ups. That doesn't seem to make sense...God came to earth in the form of a man thousands of years ago and died a horrible death to cover the sins that I commit today???? Yes...even though it doesn't seem to make sense to us...that is what God's word says his plan is.
Ok...but I still don't understand today's Bible verse. I believe in God, I love him, I TRY to follow his commands to the best of my ability and I believe in Jesus and accept him as my savior...believe that he DID come to earth and died for my sins. Why can't I seem to live the exuberant life that the verse says I will? Where is my happiness and peace? Why do I struggle every day? That's where "the beyond the sun" part comes in. All we can see is what's in front of us. There's nothing new under the sun, as Solomon said. But we remember that God's promises of eternity don't happen in THIS life, but with him...forever. HIS world for us is not here. There is a popular contemporary Christian song out right now that repeats the phrase, "All I know is I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong."
No wonder I don't find true happiness and am always longing for something else! I am not home yet! I bet the exuberant life that Moses is promising in the verse above is pointing me to heaven! SO, all I know to do is to continue to follow God, read his word because it does help me to stay on the right track, and know that one day I WILL be home and I will be ready to live exuberantly! Because I know I have that to look forward to, my days as a visitor on this planet will be a little easier!
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