Verse of the Day 4/3

 

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. ² And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

The Amplified Bible begins verse 1 by saying " if you will listen ..... being watchful".  Are you a good listener?  Listening diligently brings a new level of intensity, we are to listen to God closely "being watchful, it is what Paul was talking about yesterday in Ephesians 5:15 about "walking circumspectly".  If we are true followers this will be true of us.  Good listeners, who are watchful and being careful to obey what He calls us to do.  Not an easy task.

 

Today's verses were to the nation of Israel but I believe that we can take them to heart personally as individuals and as a body, of the church.  The ones who follow in this way will be blessed.

 

The word that jumped out at me when I read this was that all these blessings would "overtake" you.  I was reminded of Psalm 23:6 which states that God will pursue us with His love.  He will pursue and overtake us with His blessings, with His love.  Read The Message below, I love the way Eugene Petersen puts it "all these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you".   Isn't that the way it is, how He works?  The good He does, the blessings He gives to His followers spread out beyond them and have an impact on those around them.  John MacArthur describes it as the outcropping of "the evidence of God's gracious work in their hearts.

 

May we listen diligently, being watchful to carefully obey what He calls us to do today.

In Christ,
Mike

 

Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Deuteronomy 28:1-6

The Message (MSG)

28 ^1-6 If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:

God's blessing inside the city,
God's blessing in the country;
God's blessing on your children,
    the crops of your land,
    the young of your livestock,
    the calves of your herds,
    the lambs of your flocks.
God's blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
God's blessing in your coming in,
God's blessing in your going out.