THE GIFT OF CHOICE
If I were to begin life again, I should want it just as it was; only I would open my eyes a little more Jules Renard.
In life, there are things that are beyond our control; we cannot determine when they occur or stop them from happening. We just have to accept them, the way theyre. We cant determine the season, times, day or night, the day one is born or the day he dies; the sun, moon and stars their intensities and brightness. We have no control or input on how we were made; its all Gods prerogative. However God created man and put him to take charge of the Garden of Eden. He charged him to be fruitful, multiply, have dominion and subdue the earth. The entire discovery that mankind has made is just to uncover what God had already put in place that was before then unrevealed. Man cannot create the sun, the moon, and the stars; determines when the sun rises or set, the length and breathe of the world, ferocity of the wind, etc. These and others related things cannot be determined by mankind.
There are things mankind has control over. Such things that God has given man power to dominate, subdue, change, increase and improve on. Someone may not be able to determine the day he was born physically but would know someday, sometime when he/she was born spiritually. Man can take a decision to come to Christ or to remain under the bond of the evil one. This is because God created man a free thinking being with ability to make decisions and choices. He uses his freewill, freely; decides at every point whether to turn to the right or left, to sit or stand, walk or run, etc. He decides to live righteously or in sin. Its his choice and is being respected by man and God. Have you ever wonder what life would have being like without this wonderful gift of choice? Anything short of it is slavery. Little wonder that God sent an angel to give a message of hope to the Israelites: I have surely seen the affliction [sufferings] of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry [groan] by reason of their task masters: for I know their sorrows. I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land into a good land and large and unto a land flowing with milk and honey [Exodus 3:7-8]. Jesus recapped this message of freedom when He said, ..I come that you may have life and have it more abundantly. [John10:10]. However we must live life and make choices responsibly.
Human beings have far-ranging power of choice. Our daily lives consist of a series of choices and exercises in freewill whether to get up or stay in bed, what to eat for breakfast, what to do with our day, whether to change career, go back to school or continue a relationship and so forth. You decide whether to drink and eat or abstain [or fast]. For example: money is a scarce commodity and difficult to possess and obtain. In simple economics, you learn the concept of opportunity cost. Being faced in a real life with limited cash, you apply this concept impulsively. You can only buy what you cannot do without. The one you forgo is the opportunity cost of the one you bought. Your decision is governed by where you stand in Maslows hierarchy of needs. The choice you end up with is to pick the item[s] you need [not want] and consider most important.
Most things in life have opposites. The opposite of life is death, up is down, north is south, etc. As you stand always at a cross road, you have to decide which way to turn to. You either choose life or death; there is no half or middle way. The gift of choice is the greatest gift God has availed human beings. Our first parents [Adam and Eve] were confronted with the problem of choice. The scriptures said, God availed them the leisure to enjoy every fruit of the Garden of Eden but commanded them not to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and bad; for the day the eat it they shall die. As simple and clear as this commandment appeared, God allowed them to exercise their freewill. The choice was either to obey God or Satan. The implication of the choice before us is obedience meaning our love to God and abiding in Him while disobedience is separation from God, spiritual death or abiding with Satan. We have to live and we have to die; the rest we make up. Anonymous
In our world, we face the same choice of obeying God or man / the world; reference or worship God or Satan, serving God or the devil. In our age and time, Christians face the choice of living for God or dying with Satan. When Nicodemus paid a nocturnal visit to Jesus, He was faced with the challenge and choice of accepting the new life in Christ or remaining in religion, observing statuesque. Even Jesus Christ, Gods begotten Son, was faced with a decision to do the will of the Father or lived by the crowd. When He faced crucifixion on the cross at Calvary in between two criminals, one at either side, the two faced the choice: whether to accept Christ and end up in heaven or reject Him and end up in eternal condemnation. Even though the two committed life determined crimes, tried and convicted by the same judiciary system, condemned to death by hanging; surrounded by the same crowd and hung closed to the same Jesus, but they made different choices. One chose to give his worthless life to Christ and accept the life of God in Christ Jesus. By so doing, he secured a place in Gods kingdom. He cried, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered, Of a truth you will be with me in Paradise [Luke 23:42-43]. Before yielding to Christ, he challenged the other criminal, saying dont you fear God? This man has done nothing. Both of us committed crimes, were rightly judged and convicted but this man is innocent. He accepted his stake as a criminal and sinner. Yet the other convict opined, if you are the son of God, save yourself and us. By this statement he was making caricature of Jesus. He did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God [1 John 2:22-23, 4:15, 5:10]. He neither repented nor asked for mercy. We make choices by recognizing that every choice has consequences.
Today, about 2000 years after Jesus accepted the will of the Father, died on the cross and came to life again to the glory of the Father, many are still in darkness and slavery, blind and ignorance to the truth. Theyre living in the world made by God and enjoying his creation but cannot see or know God. They hear sounds of songs of different creation but cant discern God in their praise. They breathe the air freely but do not perceive God in the air. The watch the sea and the wind interact and exhibit the embedded power and still doubt the existence of God. The bible says the earth and the fullness belong to God; they also reveal Him.
The scripture says its not the wish of God that any should perish but to repent and return to God. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us from the dark state of life and brings us into glorious light. God availed us His son that we may have Him, live and experience Him and adore Him; serve and become like Him. In Him God gave us life even abundant life. Even though Christ died for the whole world but only those who accept Him and believe in his saving grace: His sacrificial death and resurrection are saved and are children of God. It did not say those who attend Church service, who sings in the chancel choir and hold position in the Church committee. These and other virtues are commendable but without faith in Christ Jesus you are only religious; being religious shall not earn you a place in Gods kingdom.
The choice before us this day is not religion or becoming a Church member but having a relationship with your creator through putting faith and accepting His saving grace. Where you would spend your eternity is a critical question facing us here? If you choose Jesus, He forgives and erases your sins; you become a new creation, have a new life and amazing future as well as a new heart and new heritage. Some people may take this choice for granted. This offer is open while life last; its a choice that is life determined. Its also a prerequisite for entering into a relationship with God. Only those who make this life determined choice shall inherit Gods kingdom and become co-heir with Christ. One funny thing about the choice of life is, if you decide not to choose it, it shall choose you because not choosing is already a choice. We live life once but if we plan it well, once is good enough.
You may have made several bad choices in the past, but one choice of God and accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior shall correct all the bad choices and give you a new heart, new life, new disposition and new destination. Jesus is waiting and knocking at the door of your heart; the Church is standing in gap, praying for your return. This decision shall make a whole lot of difference in your life and undertakings. Many who made wrong choices in the past have been redeemed and restored by this one decision. Since I made this decision years back, it had changed the way I look at my life and the entire world around me. Its a decision to turn a new leaf, change your direction and destiny as well as pursue success and live under Gods presence. You have entered into the secret place of the Most High God and shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. God automatically becomes your refuge and fortress; will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. The Lord God will satisfy you with long life and show you His salvation. The most basic choice we have in life is whether to expand or contract, whether to bring our creative and expressive energies into the world in positive or negative ways. No matter what our circumstances, we have the power to choose our directions. In each of us are heroes; speak to them and they will come forth Anonymous
Reach: Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeministries@yahoo.com OR P.O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.