Dave’s Monday Blast – October 4, 2021
“All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2). Just as the blessings of the Lord come with a condition, they also carry a warranty.
Pastor Mark Batterson comments: “In contractual law a warranty protects us against a manufacturer’s defect or seller’s default. Those warranties come in lots of different varieties with many different riders. There are lifetime warranties, which have no time limit. There are extended warranties, which broaden the umbrella of coverage, but let’s be honest…most of us have been burned by the fine print. In my experience, most warranties oversell and underdeliver.”
But here is the good news: There is no expiration date on the promises of God, and those promises are backed by a God who does not default.
Back to our opening verse from Deuteronomy, notice that the condition is repeated for good measure: “If you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” The Latin word for “obey” is obedire, which means “to give ear.” Obedience starts with an ear that is consecrated to Christ. It’s tuning in to His frequency and turning up the volume. It’s obeying His whispers, even if culture is screaming the exact opposite. Is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit the loudest voice in your life?
Now notice the warranty: “All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.” Have you ever experienced a blessing that seemingly comes out of nowhere? It sneaks up on you from behind? That is the blessing of God overtaking you. As sure as your sin will find you out, the blessings of God will also track you down (Our God is a good hunter). These blessings, pronounced from the top of Mount Gerizim, are as valid today as they were 3,425 years ago. Why? Because God is watching over His word to perform it.
Batterson continues: ” When it comes to making a claim on a warranty, it usually requires several phone calls and too much time on hold (can you relate?), listening to elevator music. God’s warranty works in the opposite way. God is the one who comes knocking!” Hanani the seer said, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) In other words, God is actively looking for opportunities to fulfill His promises!
The psalmist said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The word translated “follow” is a Hebrew hunting term. You can turn your back on God. You can run in the opposite direction as fast and as far as you can. You can deny His existence and avoid Him at every turn. But the Hound of Heaven is undeterred. He never stops tracking us because He cannot give up on us. If you turn around, you’ll discover that the Heavenly Father is right there with arms wide open, ready to bless you and welcome you back home.
That’s really good isn’t it!
