Monday, January 12, 2026

Opening Scripture

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:12, 27

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, you are the source of all truth, wisdom, justice, and love. Lead me in your paths today. Help me to constantly rest my life upon the eternal foundation of your loving presence. Save me from hurry and worry, haste and confusion, wrongful desires, and the snare of evil. May your Holy Spirit enlighten, instruct, and guide me as I follow the Lord Jesus this day. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Reflection  

This week, we will consider God’s consistent, loving admonition to each of us to choose the path of eternal, abundant life. Throughout Scripture, we’re told that there are two ways to live: the popular, self-centered lifestyle of the kingdoms of this earth, and the unpopular, God-centered lifestyle of the kingdom of heaven. Everyone is traveling on one path or the other.

In today’s passage, Moses describes the available options very clearly to the people of Israel: life and prosperity or death and destruction. These are the same two options available to people today. We can love, worship, and obey God or we can love, worship, and obey self. One path leads to joy, fulfillment, and eternal life. The other leads to sorrow, disappointment, and eternal death.

God has created each of us with free will and personal agency. We can choose to do whatever we want, but our choices have consequences. And while we get to choose our actions, we don’t get to choose the consequences. Choose wisely!

 Flourishing Habit

Happiness and Life Satisfaction

From the Christian perspective, flourishing means living life as God intends. You could say that “flourishing” is a consequence of living life as God intends.

Another word that describes the happiness and life satisfaction that come from being a disciple of Jesus is “contentment.” 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” At the heart of contentment is an attitude of gratitude.

What are you grateful to God for today? Tell him! Are there several things that come to mind? Thank him for all of them. In fact, regardless of the circumstances, pause multiple times throughout the day and thank God for his many blessings.

Remember: nothing changes until something changes!