"Choose" (continuation of "Joyful, Patient, and Faithful")

That last RST had us thinking about decisions, choices, forks in the road--reminded me of Moses' farewell discourse to the people he'd led out of Egypt, his people...his bickering, stubborn, forgetful, short-sighted, and all around dysfunctional family, loved ones in all their wacked-out splendor. It's kind of touching to hear him alternately pleading with them, forewarning them, blessing them, as he hands them back to his (and their Father) and on to Joshua, the XO. Here's some of what he had to say (to them and to us) in the last few chapters of Deuteronomy...

"...I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life..."
Deuteronomy 30:19,20

"When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, 'Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may teach your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.'"
Deuteronomy 32:45-47

Reminiscent of Joshua's own farewell exhortation just before his death...

"...Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15

Love the symmetry and harmony of the Old and New Testaments--"choose God's Way; choose life," say Moses and Joshua (among a host of others). In Matthew 6 (among a host of other places) we hear "chase after material things and other temporary distractions and find yourself exhausted and still empty-handed in the end; pursue Him, seek to know and understand His Way of Really Living, and find yourself at peace, your needs met, and your eternal destiny secured."

You've been prayed for today...and BTW, you and I have been on God's mind for a very, very long time...how cool is that?