Be the Head, not the Tail

[S] Deuteronomy 28:3-6, 9-11, 13 --

³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

 ⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

 ⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

 ⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

⁹ The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. ¹¹The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.

¹³ The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

²⁰ The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him

[O] I had to reduce the number of verses from the beginning of this chapter because it was filled with hopeful blessings from God for our city.  Lately, I just learned a new song called "God of This City" and so my mind was framed around the city (the literal city I live in as well as the virtual community of friends and co-workers) as I was meditating on these blessings about how much God is interested in blessing us so abundantly as long as we keep His commands (verse 9).  He's going to make us the head and not tail.  The list of blessings is just awesome.  However in verse 20, He also lists the consequences of our failure to follow His commands.  I shortened this list but it is as long as the blessings list.  The ball's on our court.

[A] There are much uncertainties these days and I feel this passage is more significant for me to focus on following His commands now than ever because I can easily be distracted away from doing that and regardless of my excuses the outcome will depend on my response to His commands.

[P] Dear God, please use my weakness to bring out your strengths.  I am more than ever encouraged by this passage to know that You desire to overflow me with Your blessings.  I desire that for me and my family.  Please continue to steer us in the way to be in Your word to know and follow Your commands.   In Jesus' name.  Amen.