When I see the blessings in Deuteronomy 28, I can’t help but say, “That’s exactly what I want. I want to see my family blessed. I want my location to be satisfying to me. I want to see my cupboards full. I want to experience stability and spiritual intimacy. I want to see the work of my hands blessed, to have a daily routine that’s fulfilling, to know my future is secure.” But this is hardly surprising, for who of us doesn’t want these blessings?

So when I hear Moses saying, “If you hearken diligently to the Lord, if you obey all of His commandments, these blessings will be yours,” I say, “Wonderful!” - until I try, but inevitably and consistently fail.

You see, the key to success and blessing lies in obeying all of the commandments. It can’t be 90 percent or even 99 percent. To get the victory that brings the blessings, one must do it all (James 2:10) because the Ten Commandments are interwoven in such a way that to break one is ultimately to break all ten. Think of it this way . . .

You’re out at sea, two miles from shore, when you notice that, although nine of the floorboards in your boat are shipshape, one is rotting away in the salt water. Therefore, even though only one in ten is faulty, even though nine are in perfect order, you’re sunk.

So too, Moses said if you want these blessings, you’ve got to obey all the commandments. And therein lies the problem. I want to. I try. But I can’t.

There is One, however, who did indeed keep all the commandments. In fact, so perfectly did He keep them that even His enemies could find no fault in Him (Luke 23:4). And because Jesus kept all the commandments, because He fulfilled every expectation and requirement of the Law, He gets all of the blessings. In other words, every Old Testament blessing, every glorious promise made to those who would walk in God’s ways, who would obey God’s Word, who would seek God’s heart is His because He did all of those things (2 Corinthians 1:19–20).

And here’s the amazing news: When you became a Christian, not only did Christ come in you, but you were placed in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, all the promises are yours as well.