Yes, You Have A Choice...But Choose Wisely!

This clip from the film classic, The Ten Commandments, shows Moses asking his people to choose whether to follow God, or not. The question itself is as old as man himself: "Should I follow God, or not?" You may recall that God, in his infinite wisdom and love, gave us our free will. That is, He let's us decide, or choose which way to go.

Just in case you're not real clear about this, let's back up a bit. In the beginning, God created everything, including us. No, He didn't have to; it was His own choice. The way He set things up was his decision, too.

No one advised God on what things should look like, or how they should work. And, when it came to making  man in His own image, that was His choice, as well. Now, during the course of putting all of this in place, He gave us something priceless. We know it as volition, or free will; the ability to choose.

God doesn't need little robots, or "yes" men chasing after him. He wants us to come to our own, irrefutable decision of whether to follow him, or not. In truth, many of us are running around today without an appreciation for the fact that God has given us the ability to choose.

Of course, It would be easier, in many ways, if all of our choices were made for us. Sometimes making decisions can be scary, annoying, or just plain "no-fun." I can honestly tell you that as a parent, there are many times I wish I could just think for my children, rather than leaving choices up to them. But, God didn't make us that way. No, that’s not how He "chose" to make us.

C.S. Lewis once wrote in a letter: "Is it not a frightening truth that the free will of a bad man can resist the will of God? For He has, after a fashion, restricted His own Omnipotence by the very fact of creating free creatures; and we read that the Lord was not able to do miracles in some place because people’s faith was wanting"  (Matthew 13:58).

Take a moment and consider how much it cost God to make us this way. If we're given the chance to make wrong choices, we usually do. Sadly, with us making so many wrong decisions, the only way for us to reestablish our relationship with God was by the death of His son on the cross. Our "free will" is what made the cross necessary. That's what it cost.

I'd like to close today with a quote from Stephen R. Lawhead: "This is our work in creation: to decide. And what we decide is woven into the thread of time and being forever. Choose wisely, then, but you must choose."

Beloved, the ability to choose is not only valuable, it’s also very powerful. With our choices (good or bad) we set the course for our entire lives. We really need to give some consideration to the way our choices "today" are going to affect our lives "tomorrow"; and not only tomorrow, but "forever." Fortunately, we get to make the choice regarding our eternity. That's a choice we all have.

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9; Joshua 24:15; John 7:17; Galatians 5:16-17; Mark 8:34

Prayer: Dear Lord, in my darkest moment, please help me see your light and find my way. Amen

May God bless you!

Riley