“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19
The Power of the Pivot
In the final chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses stands before a new generation. They are on the edge of the Promised Land, and the choice is laid out with startling clarity. God doesn’t force them into the blessing; He invites them. He presents two paths—life and death—and then, like a loving Father who wants us to win, He whispers the answer: “Choose life.”
We often feel like victims of our circumstances, as if our joy depends on what happens to us. But this scripture reminds us that while we cannot always choose what happens to us, we always choose our direction. “Choosing life” isn’t about everything going perfectly; it’s about a daily pivot toward God’s heart.
The Fork in the Road
Every morning when you wake up, you are standing at a fork in the road. One path leads toward the “ashes” of resentment, worry, and the past. The other path leads toward the “beauty” of trust, obedience, and hope.
- Choosing God’s Way Over Our Own: Sometimes “choosing life” means biting your tongue when you want to snap back. It means choosing to forgive when you have every right to stay angry. It means trusting God’s timing when your own schedule says you’re running late. These small choices are the stones that build a blessed life.
- A Legacy of Life: Notice the verse says, “so that you and your children may live.” Your choices don’t just affect you. When you choose to walk in God’s blessing, you create a trail for those coming after you. You are breaking cycles of “ashes” and building a legacy of “beauty.”
- The Blessing is a Person: Ultimately, choosing life is choosing Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When we choose Him, the blessing isn’t just a destination we reach—it’s a Companion we walk with.
A Simple Truth
Beauty is not a lucky break; it is a consistent choice. You can choose to sit in the ashes of what went wrong yesterday, or you can choose the life God is offering you today. The fork in the road is right in front of you. Take a deep breath, look at the Father, and take a step toward the light.
Making the Choice
- Identify the Fork: Think of one recurring situation that stresses you out. What does “choosing life” look like in that specific moment? (e.g., choosing peace instead of checking your phone immediately, or choosing gratitude instead of complaining about the commute.)
- The Morning Declaration: Before your feet hit the floor tomorrow, say it out loud: “Lord, I choose life today. I choose Your blessing over my burdens.”
- The Legacy Check: Ask yourself: “If my children (or those I lead) followed my attitude today, where would it lead them?” Let that guide your next decision.
Prayer
Father, I choose life today. I am done sitting in the ashes of ‘what if’ and ‘if only.’ I choose to believe Your promises over my problems and Your blessings over my burdens. Give me the strength to stay on the path of life, even when the road gets steep. I trust that Your way leads to a beauty I could never create on my own. Amen.
