Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Reflection This reading from Deuteronomy is a favorite among prosperity gospel preachers. The prosperity gospel is the erroneous notion that God rewards faith with prosperity (health and wealth) and punishes disbelief with affliction. But is this really the truth? Has that been your experience? There are a host of places we can look to prove that interpretation false. Take, for instance, the early Christians. Faithful people like Felicity and Perpetua, Polycarp, and Steven. They are considered some of the most faithful followers of Jesus. They are, each and every one of them, canonized saints. Did they end their days in prosperity and wealth and good health? Far from it. They are all martyrs, subjected to gruesome and tragic ends. And yet they never wavered in their faithfulness to Jesus. Countless faithful people have suffered unspeakably and yet remained faithful to God. According to the prosperity gospel, that should not happen. So what is going on in this reading from Deuteronomy? Well, this reading is not a universal promise of prosperity or doom. This reading is Moses’ way of exhorting the Israelites to follow God’s laws. Moses is telling the people that if they follow God’s laws and live the way God asks them to live, they will have a better shot at a just and harmonious society than if they all just do whatever they want. It does not mean, however, that nothing bad will ever happen to them (see Job), or that they will all obtain egregious levels of wealth (see the early Christians). Health and wealth are not the reward of faith; relationship with God is the reward of faith. And with faith, your relationship with God can weather anything, be it extraordinary wealth or the threat of martyrdom. --Jim Vitale Prayer We thank you, O God, that you do not abandon us in our times of need, but are always with us, drawing us into closer relationship. In moments of challenge, remind us that you are always with us. In moments of prosperity, remind us to be generous and merciful. Amen.
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