Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/80

Contributor - Peter de Jong

Title - "Choose Life, That You And Your Descendants May Live"

Topic - Family

Deuteronomy 30:19

When Pharaoh Pianchi (about 751 - 730 B.C.) wanted the inhabitants of Medum to hand over the city to him, he gave them a choice: Open the gates of the city, and you will live or keep the gates closed and you will die. About one hundred and fifty years later the prophet Jeremiah said about the same to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: "Surrender to the Chaldeans who are besieging the city and you will live I for if you don't surrender you will die." (Jeremiah 21:8) The writer of the Book of Deuteronomy continues this line of Jeremiah and he records the words of Moses which he spoke to the people of Israel just prior to their entrance into the Promised Land:"I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live."

And so today these words also come to us as we celebrate Mother's Day and the Festival of the Christian Home: "Choose life that you and your descendants may live. " The message is clear: "choose life and you will live". There is however also a possibility of choosing death! Now when do you do that as a family, when do you choose death? The writer of the Book of Deuteronomy gives us an answer. He says the first step towards death you take as an individual or as a family is when you turn your heart away from the living God (verse 17). As soon as you do that the empty place will immediately be filled with other things or people who will ultimately demand to be served. Doesn't this lie at the root of most of the problems that we experience today in family life, that other gods are being served instead of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? And the result is often that father and mother have no time for each other anymore and for their children, because the all important value of life is being determined by the question of: "how can we get a bigger house or a better automobile than our neighbours?" And the children say: I our parents are total strangers to us, because you can never really talk to them." And so the home gets cold and chilly, everybody lives for himself. "Therefore choose life that you and your family may live!"

Now how can you choose life as a family, how do you do that? The writer of the Book of Deuteronomy says: "it's very simple, it's not hidden and it's not far away. It is not in heaven or on the other side of the ocean, so that you will have to send someone to get it for you. " In our language we would say: you don't have to get to a marriage counselor or attend all kinds of Marriage Enrichment classes. The Bible is much more simple than that. It says if you want to choose life in your family and not chaos or loneliness, begin then very personally by loving the Lord your God who gave His life for you, in order that you may be forgiven (and so you must forgive others!). Secondly, you must walk in His ways. Many a family life is being destroyed because everyone loves him(her)self. Father works hard on his promotion; mother goes to the society to play bridge and at night the family sits around the TV where nobody has to say a word to each other or one goes to McDonald's, for "they do it all for you". Many people don't realize that living this way they become strangers to each other. Walk therefore in the ways of God for He is concerned about people, He is concerned about you, and the way you live as a family.

We are living in a world wherein money plays a large role, but when our children become strangers to us and when our family life becomes a bore, then we can't make that up with money anymore, or with a new automobile, or even a trip to Florida. No, then you need time to talk and listen to each other; time to pray again and time to learn to love each other again. Therefore don't let it go that far:

"Choose life and do it today!"

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.