Choose Life

Heart Prep

Lord, because our life choices have the power to bring life or death, blessings or curses, please give me the strength to choose life. Give me the wisdom to know what's right and the courage to do it. Please give me the peace and blessings that come from obeying You in my choices and relationships.

Deuteronomy 30:19 “ I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,
that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.”

Mariah knew her parents would never let her go to the party that weekend, and, although the idea unsettled her, she knew it would be easy enough to deceive them. Her parents were not like most of her friends’ parents, who let them go out whenever they wanted, and she felt certain that if she didn’t go, everyone in her class would label her as a loser. Mariah had always been a good kid, and she didn’t normally lie, but this time she felt justified. The plan was simple. She would sneak to the party under the guise of spending the night at her friend’s house. Oh, how the thoughts of having fun and being noticed made her excited; but she couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt that seemed to be winning the battle inside her. In fact, every time she would think of the situation a verse that hung in her living room would come to her mind. “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live.” It seemed a bit extreme to her, but something about those words also brought a sense of peace to her. After a restless night, Mariah knew she couldn’t follow through with her plan. She decided instead that she would ask her mom if she could invite some kids from her youth group over for a game night. At school, on Monday morning she heard word of many kids in her class getting suspended for their behavior at a party that weekend. Mariah smiled to herself and thought. “Blessings and curses, right God!” She prayed, “Thank you, Lord, for giving me the strength to choose Life.” She had just had one of the best weekends of her life!

Life Application

How about you? Are there choices in your life that are leading you away from blessings that God
intends for you?

What are some ways God might be directing you?

What choices are you going to make so that your life is going in the right direction of "life and blessings”?