Choose Life

A Reflection Deuteronomy 30:15-20 

Introduction 

Change is inevitable. In Buddhism, they call it impermanence, the Stoics talk a lot about it as well. We are born, we learn to walk, we go to school, we go to work, we get married, have kids, retire and then die. Life is full of changes. This week, we are still in the same line of Lectionary texts that I preached last time I was with you. In my last message to you, I talked about how we need to detach, that worrying gets us nowhere and impedes our growth.  

In our text from Deuteronomy, we read about one of Moses farewell address to the Israelites. When we think of changes a person can have in life, Moses is an example. His mystical experiences with God, his leadership in times of crisis and his faithfulness to God all demonstrate a life well lived. These speeches are both a recapitulation of the Law and a heartfelt exhortation to remain faithful to the covenant with God. Moses emphasizes the importance of obedience, love for God, and the consequences of disobedience. 

As we contemplate Moses’ challenge to the Israelites, we too find ourselves standing at the crossroads where our choices shape both our spiritual journey and the legacy we leave behind. The invitation is clear: in the midst of uncertainty and change, we are called to deliberate intentionally about the direction of our lives. Just as Moses urged his people to consider the path of faithfulness, we are reminded that the decisions before us are not simply about rules, but about nurturing a living relationship with God—a relationship that infuses meaning into every season, trial, and transformation we experience. 

Today, I want to explore the significance our choices make in life and how they relate to our faith and obedience to God. Each step we take in faith becomes an act of trust—an affirmation that God’s guidance is not distant or abstract, but as near as our next breath. With this assurance, we turn now to examine the details of Moses’ charge, drawing out the timeless relevance of his counsel for our own journeys of obedience and love.

The Choice Set Before Us 

We all have a choice before us every day, the choice between life and death and choosing good vs. Evil. God calls us to life of goodness, of love. Our humanness pulls us towards selfishness, and self-centeredness. We all have a righting complex but depending on the culture we live in or the family system we come from, traumas and other life experiences, this complex can fade. Fortunately, the bible continuously reminds us, like in today’s passage, that we are called to goodness and obedience.  

When we choose goodness and obedience, we align ourselves with a way of living that is not only beneficial for our own spiritual growth but also radiates outward, touching those around us with compassion and purpose. God calls us daily to this posture. When we daily accept this daily invitation to choose the path of life, as Moses described, each moment offers us opportunities to affirm our commitment to God’s vision of goodness, justice, and mercy. As we reflect on the blessings that flow from this choice, we see that true obedience is not merely rule-following but a dynamic relationship that calls us to wholehearted engagement, affecting our lives, our families, and even our communities. In recognizing the weight of our decisions, we are empowered to pursue a life marked by meaning, hope, and enduring faithfulness.

The Consequences of Our Choices 

Why do we turn away from God? To better understand this, we need to ask the question, why do children turn away from their parents? The answer is quite simple. From the moment of our birth, we are continually moving towards independence. How many of you have been around a young toddler that just wanted to do everything by themselves? How many have felt the wrath of said toddler when you tried getting in our way?  

I have been thinking a lot over the last 10 years about the loss we are experiencing in our churches and the resulting loss of morality in our culture. People are not necessarily turning away from God, the sociological and statistical data shows that people are still interested. What we are seeing is that churches essentially are not creating meaning. Our houses and communities of worship have made attendance untenable for a large majority of our young people. Soon, we will have so many not attending church folk that they will be raising the next generation of not attending church children. This slowly will cause them to “forgot the LORD their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them.” (Judges 8:34) 

The consequence of our action? We are a less morally straight country and nation. When we are disobedient to the scriptural call to love and obedience, it becomes clear that the everyday moments where we act out of selfishness or apathy can have consequences far beyond ourselves. This is why Moses’ challenge is as urgent for us as it was for ancient Israel: to be intentional, to resist drifting through life on autopilot, and to embrace the hard, beautiful work of aligning our choices with the love and justice God calls us to embody.   

The Call to Choose Life 

In a previous post I talked about reverence reflecting on verse 19 today.  Deuteronomy 30:19 calls us to “Choose life so you and your descendants may live.” This got me thinking about the spiritual practice of reverence and what it means to revere something or somebody. To revere is to feel deep respect, admiration, and awe for someone or something, recognizing their intrinsic value and worth. It involves acknowledging the greatness or exceptional qualities of the revered person or object and often results in a sense of humility and gratitude. Reverence can be directed towards nature, individuals, traditions, or higher powers, and it fosters a profound connection and appreciation that transcends the ordinary.  

When we choose life, a life of reverence, of obedience, we honor not only our past, but we also prepare a way for our youth.  In Judaism, the faith of Jesus, Jewish reverence, known as yirat Shamayim (fear of Heaven), is a core aspect of Jewish tradition. This word, fear is not the English sense of being frightened – it means that something has produced within us an experience that produced overwhelming wonderment. Think of the word awe. In the context of Judaism, yirah goes beyond the conventional understanding of fear as mere terror or anxiety. It encompasses a blend of reverence, awe, and deep respect in relation to something or someone.  

I believe Reform Judaism’s idea of Yrat fits in with the way the historical Jesus would have approached it. In Reform Judaism, they seek “to find contemporary meaning and relevance in Jewish teachings while acknowledging the influence of modernity and individualistic perspectives.” Yirah is an invitation to cultivate a deeper sense of reverence, wonder and awe towards the divine. In developing this, our connections with the sacred become meaningful.    

“Reform Judaism places a strong emphasis on love, compassion, and ethical living as central tenets of the faith. Yirah, in this context, inspires individuals to seek out a connection with G-d and explore the spiritual dimensions of life. It encourages a sense of humility before the divine and a recognition of the vastness and beauty of the universe.” These are all echoes of the historical Jesus.   

Reverence and awe in the Jewish perspective can be summarized as follows. Consider the historical parallels between these points and the stories about Jesus in the Gospels and the Old Testament:  

• Awe and Respect for God: Jews recognize God’s power and wisdom, leading to actions that honor God.  

• Reverence in Worship and Prayer: Practices such as bowing and using respectful language highlight reverence during worship.  

• Respect for Sacred Texts and Objects: Torah scrolls and other sacred texts are treated with great care and respect.  

• Daily Life: Reverence extends to everyday actions, including kindness towards others and respect for parents and elders.  

• Sabbath and Festivals: The Sabbath and festivals are observed with reverence and joy, marked by special customs.  

• Temple in Jerusalem: Despite its absence, the Temple remains central in Jewish history and tradition.  

• Value of Life: Preservation of human life, both physical and emotional, is highly valued.  

• Environmental Stewardship: Caring for the environment is seen as a responsibility toward God’s creation.  

In Closing  

To close, the Buddhists challenge us to “live in such a way as to reduce the suffering of all sentient beings. In the practice of reverence, we find a path to transcend the divisions that plague our modern world. By cultivating a deep respect for one another and the world around us, we can bridge the gaps that separate us. This ethos calls us to embrace empathy and compassion, allowing us to see the intrinsic value in every being. We are invited to reflect on how our actions can alleviate suffering and promote a sense of unity. It is through this conscious effort that we can begin to restore the lost art of reverence in our lives.  

We live in a polarized time where people are losing the knowledge of reverence. To reclaim it, we must actively engage in practices that nurture our sense of wonder and respect for the world. This involves slowing down to truly observe and appreciate the beauty around us, whether in nature, art, or human interactions. It means listening with intent, speaking with kindness, and acting with integrity. By fostering a daily habit of mindfulness and gratitude, we can begin to rebuild our connection to the sacredness of life. In doing so, we choose life. When we choose life, we commit to small, deliberate acts of reverence that will gradually transform our outlook and behavior, guiding us towards a more harmonious and compassionate existence.