Today’s Reading, Deuteronomy 28-29
Focal Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:14 “Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not follow other gods to worship them.”
Knowing what direction to travel can help you avoid many pitfalls. I believe most of us know what it is like to walk on a balance beam. This beam is not very wide and if you stay on it straight you can travel the entire length without any trouble. However, if you make any attempt to get off of the line you will fall off. It doesn’t matter how small the turn to the right or the left is, it can cause you to miss the mark and be off track.
In today’s reading, Moses is commanded to tell the people that they can’t turn to the right or the left from the teachings the Lord has given them. They know they are not allowed to worship other gods, and this is not just a suggestion, but a command. The Lord understands that if they deviate from his instruction just a little bit, how much trouble it can cause. He also knows the hearts of people and how easy it is to create gods for yourself. We as a people are prone to worship created things, instead of the creator.
I am not sure about you but I know I have went to the right and the left in my spiritual journey. Rarely was it a sharp turn that threw me off the correct path. Instead it was a gradual leaning and before I knew it I was somewhere I had no business being. This is why knowing yourself is so important. It is also why every one of us must never have a prideful attitude and think we are too strong to fail and fall into idol worship. I have worshiped idols and so have you. Our response to this truth is what separates us from unbelievers.
I challenge you today to examine your life with scripture. Do you have the fruit of the spirit outlined in Galatians 5? Are you a person who loves the way we are expected to in 1 John? If you are a leader do you meet the qualifications found in the pastoral epistles? Do you meet the biblical expectations of having a saving faith?
The problem people we run into today is they don’t know if they have fallen off the correct path because they don’t know what the correct path is in scripture. Be a person who strives to know the word and knows the path of righteousness. Stay focused like it’s a balance beam and fight to stay in it with everything that you have.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Deuteronomy 30-31
