In Robert Robinson’s hymn ″Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing″ are these words: ″prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love″. Most of us could probably identify with these words. We need to be constantly brought back to the path of obedience and a right relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 11 presents seven motivations to obedience:

1. God’s mighty work of discipline (vv. 1-7): Moses listed three instances of God’s discipline-two when He showed His power against the Egyptians and one when He punished some Israelites. God’s acts of discipline warn us of the consequences of disobedience and urge us along the path of obedience.
2. The hope of conquest and occupying a good land (vv. 8-12): Moses says that when they keep ″all the commands″, they will ″have the strength to go in and take over the land″ (v. 8). Obedience to ″all the commands″ brings great fruit to our lives.
3. The promise of daily provision (vv. 13-15): Moses assures the people that when they obey God and serve Him, then God ″will send rain on your land in its season . . . so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil . . . and you will eat and be satisfied″ (vv. 14-15). Obedience assures us that our needs will be met and that God will look after us.
4. The prospect of wrath and no provision (vv. 16-17): Moses motivates the people to remain faithful to God by warning them of the wrath of God if they disobeyed: ″Then the Lord‘s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens . . . and you will soon perish″ (v. 17). Those who are enticed into worshipping idols will be severely punished.
5. The prospect of rich and long-lasting blessing (vv. 18-21): Moses tells the people that when they hold fast to God’s word, ″your days and the days of your children may be many . . . as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth″ (v. 21). Those who live by the Word of God will never lack God’s blessings, right to the end of their lives.
6. The prospect of conquest and security (vv. 22-25): Moses presents three rewards for obedience: defeat of enemy nations, conquest of promised land, and security through a fear of the Israelites that God would implant in their enemies. The knowledge that God is sufficient to empower, provide and protect us is a great incentive for obedience.
7. The prospect of blessing and curse (vv. 26-30): Moses presents the choice between a blessing and a curse: ″the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey″ (vv. 27-28). To choose between obedience and disobedience is to choose between life and death, security and disaster, blessing and curse.

Though blessings and curses are being misused by some evangelists and pastors today, the fact remains that these things represent the choice before people. We must faithfully and wisely depict the stark contrast between the consequences of obedience and disobedience. It is not our prerogative to curse people-that right belongs to God alone-but we must warn people of the consequences of disobedience. Obedience to God is always worthwhile, and disobedience is never worthwhile.