Thursday, July 8, 2010

Choice

"You know Abba, I would have never guessed that I would be in this place of choice. Making the right choice, the best choice, the most fruitful choice, the most God-honouring choice...It is inevitable that I will screw this up in someone's eyes...but then again, those "someones" have not walked in my shoes. They don't know my heart, only you do. The choice I make is mine to make, and the consequences of my decision will be what they will be.
...Abba, please help me to heed your guidance."

Have you ever been in that place? The place of choice? Not just any place of choice, but one where you sincerely want to do the right thing for all involved? It can be a very difficult place to be. 

Having free will is having a moral imperative to act. It is by engaging in an action that we make change. Choosing to make change can be very uncomfortable, but it may be necessary; rather, it is necessary. Living in the status quo will only end up frustrating your potential and numbing your senses, and many an entrepreneur banks on status quo (ironically). That aside, I firmly believe that we have the potential to do many a positive thing...and many a negative...

Paul's letter to the Romans speaks a bit on our potential to do, or not do, what is "good and right"...
Romans 7 (The Message)
..."I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So, if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. (14-23)

Ain't that the truth!
 
Our desire to make the best choice is often thwarted, yet, somehow, God takes even our worst decisions and creates beauty.
Just take a look at the lives of  Joseph   David   Ruth  and  Saul
(...Really...click on the link and read about these guys!)
 
Regardless of our choice, God is with us...We may try to walk ahead of Him or behind Him, but the reality is we are walking with Him because He chooses to walk with us. (Let that sink in...)
Even though we walk through the valley of the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for You are with me...

No comments:

Featured Post

They Did Not Realize

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. ~John 21:4