To obey or not to obey? That is the question

As I continue to make my way through Deuteronomy I can't help but pick up on the theme "if you obey you will be blessed". Of course there is the opposite, "if you disobey you will be cursed". So if you obey God you will be prosperous, and if you live a life of disobedience you will experience frustration and failure. It sure seems that way sometimes. But why? How does our decision to obey or not obey affect how our life plays out? It is because the Lord has the best for us, and by choosing to obey Him it leads to the fulfillment of the promises He has made to us. When we choose not to obey we remove ourselves from the will of God and His provision. Now this is easier said than done. The reason for this is because we are human and no matter how much we know what we are to do our own wills get in the way. We think that we know better than God. The problem is we can't see the big picture. It is a matter of perspective. Place the palm of your hand directly up to your face no more than an inch a way. What do you see? A big flesh colored blur. Now pull it back about a foot or so or until it comes into perfect focus. What do you see now? Wrinkles, lines, and so much detail. God can see the big picture. He can see the details. We can't even though everything is right in front of us. This is where we need to trust God and what He tells us.

So obey His commands and we eventually will see the big picture.