Blessings and Curses

My dear husband encouraged me to investigate this topic as a starting point to address the question on a few of the girls hearts I am mentoring:

"Where was God when these terrible things happened to me?" 

A tough question to say the least. One you are inclined to give an easy, comforting answer to. But I will not insult the Father by presuming to speak for Him. I will seek His heart in the matter.

In Deuteronomy Chapter 28, God explains part of His system to man. He explains how it is to live in Covenant Blessing, by obeying the commands of the Lord. Is this system still in action today though? I think we'd better be careful before we say it isn't...

• We can be sure we know Him if we keep His commands - 1 John 2:3
• If we love Him we will keep His commands - John 14:15

What is the system? 
Simply put, we either live in covenant with God and therefore receive the privilege of His protection and blessings, or we live far from Him so that He is not our covering - and how can He protect us?

Choice #1. The Blessing - "If you listen closely to what ADONAI your God says, observing and obeying all his mitzvot (commands) which I am giving you today, ADONAI your God will raise you high above all the nations on earth and all the following blessings will be yours in abundance - if you will do what ADONAI your God says," (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)...and He goes on to list blessings.   Choice #2. The Curse  - "But if you refuse to pay attention to what ADONAI your God says, and do not observe and obey all his mitzvot (commands) and regulations which I am giving you today, then all the following curses will be yours in abundance," (Deuteronomy 28:15)...and He goes on to list curses, which is a much longer and more comprehensive list, maybe to dissuade us from choosing this option all the more!

I believe this is a point that a lot of "Christians" miss. It is a choice to know God, follow Him, and obey His commands. And there are consequences for our choices:

"I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving ADONAI your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him - for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land ADONAI swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."   A great website, talking more about the importance of keeping God's commands can be found here: 
 http://www.therefinersfire.org/missed_point.htm