“See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil” (Deuteronomy 30:15)

There is a beautiful passage from the Book of Deuteronomy that summarizes what Lent is all about. It reads:

“See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in His ways, and by keeping His commandments and statutes and His ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you this day, that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life that your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice, and clinging to Him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).

In this passage, the people of Israel are being offered a choice as they enter the Promised Land—a choice to follow God and live, or reject God and face the same death which Adam and Eve chose. Here, the Promised Land is regarded as a physical location that will allow the People of Israel to once again live in communion with God, as had Adam and Eve. For us Christians, the invitation is given to us that we might freely live in communion with God by choosing Christ and living in communion with God through the power of the Holy Spirit within the Church. As the choice of the old Adam broke the communion which once existed between God and humanity, by choosing to be followers of the New Adam—Christ, we are offered life. Continue reading →