There are times when God sends thunder to stir us. There are times when God sends His blessings to lure us. But then there are times when God sends nothing but silence as He honors us with the freedom to choose where we spend eternity. And what an honor it is! In so many areas of life we have no choice. Think about it. You didn’t choose your gender. You didn’t choose your siblings. You didn’t choose your race or the place of your birth. Sometimes our lack of choices angers us. “It’s not fair,” we say. It’s not fair that I was born in poverty or that I sing so poorly or that I run so slowly. But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the Garden of Eden. All complaints were silenced when Adam and his decedents were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire. Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next. Wouldn’t you agree? Would you have it otherwise? Would you have preferred the opposite? You chose everything in this life, and He chooses where you spend the next? You choose the size of your nose, the color of your hair, and your DNA structure, and He chooses where you spend eternity? Is that what you would prefer? It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal: I’ll take good health and a high IQ. I’ll pass on the music skills, but give me a fast metabolism …. Would’ve been nice. But it didn’t happen. When it came to your life on earth, you weren’t given a voice or a vote. But when it comes to life after death, you were. In my book that seems like a good deal. Wouldn’t you agree? Have we been given any greater privilege than that of choice? Not only does this privilege offset any injustice, the gift of free will can offset any mistakes. You’ve made some bad choices in life, haven’t you? You’ve chosen the wrong friends, maybe the wrong career, even the wrong actions and relationships. You look back over your life and say, “If only …. if only I could make up those bad choices.” You can. One good choice for eternity offsets a thousand bad ones on earth. God allows you the choice. The choice is yours. He Will Let You Choose. Thoughts from reading “I Will Let You Choose” by Max Lucado.
Out of love for one another…….
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)
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Scripture of the Week
“‟For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,‟ declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I send it.‟” ~~ Isaiah 55:8-11
Something to Smile About
• A man called his child’s doctor, “Hello! My son just snatched my pen when I was writing and swallowed it. What should I do?” The doctor replied, “Until I can come over, write with another pen.”
• The economy is so bad…
I ordered a burger at McDonald’s and the kid behind the counter asked, “Can you afford fries with that?”
I got a “pre-declined‟ credit card in the mail.
CEOs are now playing miniature golf.
If the bank returns your check marked “Insufficient Funds,” you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
Burger King is now selling the 1/4 ouncer.
Motel Six won’t leave the light on anymore.Think About It
Why Do You Love the Bible?
I was asked this question at one time. How would you answer it? Of course there are a variety of reasons to love the Word of God, but what would be on your list? Here are a few reasons that I love the Bible:
- It teaches me how to be saved.
- I am not smart enough to get through this life without it.
- It reveals many faith-strengthening scriptures that give me hope in something better than this world.
- It removes opinions from the equation. Disagreements are not settled by who has the loudest opinion, but by the Word of God.
- It tells me about my home. I am reminded that I do not belong here. We are meant for something so much more!
- Troy Rogers, Northwest Church of Christ Lawton, OK