As you begin to think about tomorrow’s feast is your mouth already watering?
Which to choose? Turkey, ham, yams, mashed potatoes, pumpkin or pecan pie, I know, you want a little bit of everything don’t you?
The freedom to choose or as some phrase it, free will, is something that we can all be grateful for. Imagine how boring life would be if there was no variety. What if every vehicle was a Ford and each dress was blue? All houses were Cape Cod style and the only college degree to attain was one in Physics. All flowers were red and all dogs were beagles.
No choice, no choice at all.
If that isn’t an appealing idea then you should be thanking God right about now. He is the one that established free will. In the Garden of Eden He created a large variety of fruit bearing trees and God told Adam he could pick from any tree he wanted but one.
“The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden. 16 The Lord God gave him this command: “You may eat from any tree in the garden. 17 But you must not eat from the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil. If you eat fruit from that tree, on that day you will certainly die!” Genesis 2:15-17 ERV
Now some may think that God was unfair to restrict Adam from the tree that would give him knowledge of good and evil. Far from it. God’s desire was that Adam would only know good; God didn’t want him knowing about evil. God also knew that choice would separate them because God can’t have relationship with evil; man’s relationship with God would die, it would be spiritual death.
We do a similar thing with our children. We tell them “play with all these toys but don’t touch the stove, it’s hot and you’ll get burned”. So many good and wonderful things to do and play with, just choose the good.
Adam made a choice and God didn’t usurp his will. God’s desire is that we love Him and obey His word by our free will. He wants a relationship with us not a robotic obedience. So, God gave another instruction on choice.
“ I call heaven and earth to speak against you today. I have put in front of you life and death, the good and the curse. So choose life so you and your children after you may live. 20 Love the Lord your God and obey His voice. Hold on to Him. For He is your life, and by Him your days will be long. You will be allowed to live in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLV
Freedom to choose life or death, blessing or curse and then God seemed to say, in case you’re not sure which one to choose, let me give you a hint – choose life.
God has also made a choice. He has chosen us to be His sons and daughters. He doesn’t want anyone to miss out on His goodness. His love extends to everyone.
“Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God was very kind to us because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.
7-8 Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God was so kind to us. God has great wisdom and understanding, 9 and by what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways.” Ephesians 1:4-9 CEV
“My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. 2 Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.” I John 2:1-2 ERV
God has made His choice; He has chosen us. Now we have the freedom to choose. He wants to be our choice but He won’t force His will on us.
“He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him. He gave this to those who put their trust in His name. ” John 1:12 NLV
I wholeheartedly recommend choosing God and the wonderful life that He has planned for us.
I’m so thankful for the gift of choice. My choice is to receive God’s gift of life!
