DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 5 January 2025: Obedience Begets Blessings
Text: Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (KJV)
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
KEY VERSE: Deuteronomy 28:2
“And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.”
One of the greatest lessons about obedience was taught by Mary, the mother of Jesus. The occasion was a wedding ceremony at Cana in Galilee, where Jesus Christ was invited as a guest. When they ran out of wine, Mary approached Him for a possible intervention, but He seemingly rebuffed her. However, convinced that He could still do something, she told the feast’s attendants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” At length, Christ instructed them to fill the six available water pots there with water, which He converted to superior wine. That marked the beginning of public miracles in Christ’s earthly ministry.
Just as Mary advocated unquestioning obedience on the part of the servants at the feast, Moses, in today’s text, recommended absolute obedience to the people of Israel in their dealings with God. Great, rich, and varied blessings flow from such obedience. Moses assured the people that if only they would “hearken unto the voice of the LORD [their] God,” He would, among other benefits, bless their children and succession, make all their endeavours fruitful, defeat their enemies, and prosper them above other people.
God has neither changed nor has the demand for unquestioning obedience in dealing with Him been dropped. As in the case of Israel, our blessings, as Christians, hinge on obedience to God’s word. Sometimes, God’s instruction – such as filling pots with water when wine was needed – may seem unreasonable to the human mind. Still, God knows, sees, and can do all things and knows better. It is safer to believe and act on His word than to depend on our understanding of life’s issues.
Typically, we begin a New Year with the hope of enjoying God’s presence, peace, success, victory, and more fulfilment. Let us also commit to obeying God in small and great matters throughout the year. If we do, His blessings in different shapes will not only come to us but shall “overtake” us. This means the blessings people are greedily and elusively running after will run after and get to us without anxiety.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Obedience to God is the only route to the right destination.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 14-16
Daily Manna 5 January 2025
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