We are to follow God through our lives and continue doing His work as we go. And in return:

“⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6 (ESV)

Chapter 23 of Psalms is a prayer quoted over and over again. This verse is the last in the chapter and brings home the point that God is right with us throughout the entire journey. We are doing work for Him, and that work can be/is dangerous. We are to persevere through it and know that God is there to protect us and provide for us. Our final reward is that we get to live with Him forever.

What a great promise for us to remember. When we have finished the race, God will be there providing a place of rest in heaven. But while we are working for Him, He provides goodness and mercy for our journey.

When you think of your journey, where do you place God? Are you working for Him knowing that he is there always? Are you aware of the goodness and mercy that follows you everywhere?

“¹¹You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is a fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

Before travelling to a new place, I spend some time looking at a map to understand the direction, and path I am going to take. Sure I could let my phone or GPS tell me which way to go when I get there, but would I truly “know” the path or simply travel on it.

When relying on another entity to direct you, our attention to the journey is lost as we only focus on the destination. The first part of verse 11 above says that God makes the “path of life” known, not the destination. God gives us the path for the journey and is present on the path and in his presence we experience joy and pleasure.

In today’s world, we have technology and speed to get us somewhere (phones, GPS, automobiles, planes). Shouldn’t we take some time to enjoy the journey of life in the presence of our God?

When you think about life, are you aware of the path or focused on the destination? Are you able to enjoy the journey in the presence of God?

“⁶My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and come to their end without hope. ⁷Remember that my life is a breath;” – Job 7:6-7 (ESV)

I forget that as long as my life is (in number of years) it is short when you think about God. The Grand Canyon was carved over millions of years, Christ was born over 2000 years ago, and the United States was born in 1776. My current 47 years of life is extremely short comparatively.

When we are looking at our lives, we should remember that they are short. When we are short on time, we focus on getting as much done as possible in that time so as not to “miss the deadline”.

And where is our focus? Well shouldn’t it be on completing the tasks set before us by God? Shouldn’t we prioritize our task list to have God’s at the top?

We are not going to be on this earth for very long (compared to the earth’s existence) and therefore we should be doing the work of God at every turn. We have an obligation to do God’s work first. Once we have completed the work of God we can get to those items that are on our list, although I suspect that some, if not all of them will fall off of the list entirely thanks to the gifts God will bestow on each of us for completing His work.

Knowing that our lives are short on this earth, are you focused on God? Are your priorities set so God’s work is done first? What if you did?

As I study this morning, I am reminded that we are always given a choice of life with God as opposed to being forced.

“¹⁹I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, ²⁰loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” – Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV)

The choice is ours. Life or death. Life in Christ, or death in the world.

God certainly wants each of us to choose Him and life, however He will not force Himself upon us. If we are not willing to choose Him, then we do not receive Him.

Think of our actions as Christians. I know that I have witnessed “ministry” that seems to “force” itself on those around them. I am pretty sure that this is not the approach that God wants for us. We are to present the Gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to work. Just like we have a choice, those around us have a choice as well. We are tasked with bringing them the good news, however it us up to them to choose life or death through Christ.

When you are witnessing to others, what is your approach? Are you one that is looking to force your beliefs on others, or one that allows the Holy Spirit to work? Are you approaching life with Christ as a choice?

“¹⁸Whoever takes and animal’s life shall make if good, life for life. ¹⁹If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, ²⁰fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him.” – Leviticus 24:18-20 (ESV)

This was certainly not what I expected to study this morning. But, a great way to start the week, thinking about accountability and value.

We have a responsibility to be the example of Christ each and every day in each and every situation. We act with love and care, but when we do not, we are responsible to answer for our actions. Just saying “sorry” does not absolve us of our actions. Our accountability should fit our actions, and this is what is being referred to in the verses above.

We have to look past the letter and look to the intent. The punishment should fit the crime or the retribution should equal the discretion. If we find ourselves in a position where we are on the wrong side of a discretion, we should expect to “pay the piper” for those actions accordingly.

When we are looking at the actions and consequences of those actions, it is our responsibility to seek guidance to be sure that we are holding responsible at the right level, “eye for eye and tooth for tooth”. We should be looking to God for that guidance and direction. Likewise we should be seeking to be held accountable for our actions. We should be looking to God to be sure that our actions are in line with obedience to Him.

Has there been a situation where you have “over punished”? Have you been “under punished” and walked away as though you got away with one? Are you seeking equal accountability for your actions?

“¹⁰If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who east blood and will cut him off from among his people. ¹¹For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” – Leviticus 17:10-11 (ESV)

We are to take care when taking the flesh. In the Old Testament the blood was spilled on an alter as atonement sacrifice for sin. The sacrifice was sacred and so was the blood. That blood was off limits for consumption.

As I study this morning I am looking into today, and how we look at that same practice. I look to this passage and remember that Jesus sacrificed himself for us as his blood was spilt. We have the Lord’s Supper or Communion where we remember the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice for us.

I have to also consider also the blood of the animals that provide our physical sustenance as well. Whether that which we get from the grocer or that which we get from the wild. When that animal is prepared, the blood is removed and we are not to consume it. Hunters and butchers go through a process of removing the blood of the animal prior to preparing it for consumption.

Whereas it may seem a bit much, I have to think about the life of the animal and be thankful for this animal being so that I could have something to eat.

We may should be looking at life differently each day as we sit down to dinner. I know that I am thankful for the blood spilled by Jesus for my life, and I should be thankful for the food of the animals.

Are you thankful for the life of all? What about the animals you are consuming? And the life and sacrifice of Jesus? When was the last time you truly looked at life?

There are laws of God and laws of the land and in my study of God’s Word, when we are within the laws of God, we will naturally be within the laws of the land. Example, the Ten Commandments.

Here are a few of them that everyone should know:

“¹³You shall not murder. ¹⁴You shall commit adultery. ¹⁵You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:13-15 (ESV)

As the example, God’s Law is not to murder, commit adultery, or steal. It is not a coincidence that the law of the land is the same.

When we are committed to obeying the laws of God, we will naturally fall in line with the law of the land.

“²⁰When a man strikes his slave, male or female with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged…²²When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. ²³But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life,” – Exodus 21:20, 22-23 (ESV)

God’s Word is clear with how we are accountable for life of human beings. Whether from the Ten Commandments, or other passages. We are responsible for caring for the lives of others and when we are not caring for those, we are held to being accountable for our failure.

When you look at the law, which are you looking at first, God’s or the land? When you think of others, are you valuing the care we are to place on them? Is your look at life Godly?

When we look at life, we have to consider the value of that life.

“⁵And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.” – Genesis 9:5 (ESV)

We are made in the image of God. We have the ability to think and reason which set us apart from other animals of the earth. This gives us higher value to God and therefore if our lives are taken, there is accountability for that action and should be carried out justly and with great care.

“³Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” – Genesis 9:3 (ESV)

There is also the life of the animals of the earth. God has provided them for us as food and therefore we are to treat them as such. It is okay for us to consume the animals of the earth, however we are to do so, and revere it so as a gift from God.

When we look at life, we should be considering the value of that life, whether our fellow human beings or the animals of the earth. When we do so, we are gaining further insight into the heart of God. And that insight proves valuable in the life we lead.

When you think of another, what value are you placing on them? Animals? Fellow man? Are you considering how precious they are?

We are human and God has given us free will. That free will is a gift and has been given to allow for our living of life our way. I am a firm believer that even though I have free will to do what I please, there are consequences to all of my actions or inaction.

Adam and Eve were created by God to take care of the Garden and have fellowship with and glorify Him. They were free to use the Garden for themselves with the exception of not being able to eat from two trees. When they chose to eat from the tree of good and evil they were found out and therefore were accountable to their actions.

“²⁴He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” – Genesis 3:24 (ESV)

The consequences of the actions of Adam and Eve were banishment from the Garden.

We have been given the free will to live our lives as we see fit to glorify God. Adam and Eve were given the task of caring for the Garden similar to our tasks as we care for this earth and those in it for God. We are able to complete those tasks how we see, but we must remember that we are accountable to God for our actions and choices.

What choices have you made that you were wondering why you did not prosper more? What actions have you taken that you are frustrated with the outcome? Are you living your life as though there are no consequences to your actions or inaction?

“⁷then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” – Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

Your mother gave birth to you, God gave you life. “the man became a living creature” at the breath of life from God.

Shouldn’t we be joyful that we were created by God? Shouldn’t we be grateful to our creator? Shouldn’t we recognize that without Him, we would be nothing?

Are you joyful to your creator? Are you grateful to your creator? Will you recognize that your life is God given?