The Key to Your Life (Part 1)

“No soup for you!”

He stands rigid, without humor.

He’s harsh. Judgmental. Temperamental. Cruel.

He’s willing to serve but only on his terms.

Careful now. Step lightly and move just right. And whatever, you do—DON’T’ MAKE EYE CONTACT!

If you make one false step, question his service or methods, or comment on what he offers he’ll belittle you, snatch away your soup, and send you away with nothing. If you “push it,” you’ll be banned from his presence for an entire year.

Don’t believe me? Ask Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza.

This iconic Seinfeld episode is hilarious! The demeanor of the Soup Nazi combined with Jerry and George’s deference to him makes us laugh every single time.

However, this scenario isn’t so hilarious when it resembles our view of God.

God is not looking down on us with a critical eye. Judgmental. Intolerant. Harsh. Or angry. He’s not waiting for us to slip-up; to commit one act of disobedience so He can cut us off, snatch away our soup, and send us away with nothing.

God is the God of grace. He desires to be engaged in relationship with us. He longs to lavish His love, promises, and blessings on us, to shepherd our hearts, and make us more like His Son.

God is also holy. And in order to engage in a relationship with Him, we must also be holy. But thanks to the sin living inside us, we’re not. So, He gave us His principles and precepts in His Word to teach us what it means to be holy and how to do it. He laid out boundaries to ensure our protection and joy. AND He bought our forgiveness and purity with the blood of His Son so we could engage in a relationship with Him, be made holy, and live a full and abundant life.

And it all starts with obedience.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20a, NLT)

Jesus echoed Moses’ words when He said, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” (John 14:21, NLT, emphasis mine)

Life or Death? Blessings or curses? Obedience or disobedience?

Accept my commandments and obey them.

There’s nothing easy about that, is there? Like Paul, it puts us in constant war with our yearning to do what God wants and our urges to do what we want.

Our spiritual nature vs. our sinful nature.

But this a battle worth fighting.

A match worth wrestling.

A choice worth making.

YES! We get to choose.

And the choice is yours. It’s yours alone.

No one can make it for you and no one should.

Obedience is a deliberate daily decision. And it’s your decision.

So, what are you going to decide?

Oh, that you would choose life, so that you might live…and because you love Jesus, The Father will love you. And Jesus will love you and reveal Himself to you.…

This is the key to your life.

So, my sweet friend, what’s it going to be?

Blessings, xoxo

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