Deuteronomy 28:1 “And if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all the commandments which I command you this day, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
There would be nothing to fear about all IF clauses if they did not bear two major qualities:
- Probability
- Possibility
I shall liken PROBABILITY to what happens when you have to act in the following scenario: You are one of 24 people who have to run through a door where a machine gun man is rapidly shooting bullets. You may or may not be shot. Would you run through?
I shall also compare POSSIBILITY to the following scenario: having unprotected sex with an STI positive partner with the aim of getting pregnant (having a baby).
The cost of OBEDIENCE CENTRED living is that it is founded on IF and ALL! In other words, you are/I am as good as disobedient when I/you “obey” 99.9999% but fail in 0.00001%.
Reading DEUTERONOMY 27 & 28, one trembles over the life an Israelite has to lead. A life of : NO OMISSIONS & ALL COMMISSIONS PERFECT EXPECTED. NO SECOND CHANCES!
Such a life needed no curses or blessings because it is a curse already! It is a life of probability and possibility!
But such is the nature of OBEDIENCE. It is the identity of OBEDIENCE! Unless we are created anew, who can? Who will? Who does?
Nevertheless, GOD calls you and me to obey!
Peter Carlveland Sserubidde,
ABR 2018.
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 