Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 29 before reading the devotional below.
I grew up knowing the story of my family for generations. My great-grandparents were immigrants. They came to America aboard ship, and checked in at Ellis Island in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. My grandfather started his own business installing hardwood floors. He was the first person in his family to own a house. My parents built a better house, and sent their children to college. I benefit from a generational legacy of hard work and family values. It is a legacy that I hope to improve upon before I hand it over to my children.
In Deuteronomy 29 God calls his people to think about their legacy. He reminds them that the covenant (a legally-binding, spiritual agreement) is not just with them, but with their children and their children’s children. The idea is simple: spiritual choices that the Israelites make today will impact people for generations. If they choose to be faithful to the covenant, their children and grandchildren will be blessed. If they choose to be unfaithful, generations to come will suffer the consequences.
You have the power to make great decisions, and those decisions can impact the world not just today but for generations to come. Like the Israelites, you have a decision before you today. Regardless of your past, you have a decision to make today. The Israelites had a mixed history with God – sometimes they were faithful, often they were not. You may have had a similar experience in your spiritual journey. Today, however, God is placing a choice before you: will you be faithful to God’s covenant or not? Deuteronomy 29 reminds us of the power of that choice.