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…….
We are currently requiring everyone attending the Sunday morning worship assembly and Wednesday evening Bible study to wear a mask in keeping with the Health Departments guidelines. We thank you for your consideration of and care for others. Masks are available if you need one.
“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)
Scripture of the Week
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” “And the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ~~ 1 Peter 5:8 & 10-11
Something to Smile About
Did you hear about the efficiency expert who did a seminar on time management for a company’s junior executives? He ended one of his lectures with this disclaimer, “Don‟t attempt these timesaving tips at home,” he said.
“Why not?” one of the executives asked.
“I did a study of my wife’s routine of fixing breakfast,” he said sheepishly. “She made a lot of trips between the refrigerator and the stove, the table and the cabinets—often carrying only one item. So I asked my wife, “Honey, why don’t you try carrying several things at once, so you can be more efficient?””
“Did that save time?” the young executive asked.
“Actually, yes,” the lecturer replied. “It used to take her twenty minutes to get breakfast, now I get my own breakfast in seven minutes.”Think About It
Amen to What is Right
Of all the goofy, depressing, and astounding things that happened recently (take your pick), my jaw literally dropped at the choice of a veteran congressman and denominational minister to finish his congressional prayer with “amen and a-woman” (not to mention the blasphemous content of his prayer!).
Did you know the word “amen” is the favorite word of Jesus in the book of John? It is commonly translated “truly” or “assuredly” and the word literally means, “may it be” or “let it be.” It is ironic that Christ used it most at the beginning of His statements, as one man observed, to punctuate His authority and Christians now use the word today at the ends of prayers to invoke His authority.
There is something special about God’s people “amen-ing” what is right. What Mr. Emanuel (or is it Ewomanuel?) Cleaver prayed is a mockery of God and a signal to us about the gross disparity and ignorance of God and His will. Christians, wake up to our work, especially if he is a representative of Americans! May God be merciful to us (the church) and provide grace to herald what’s right while we’ve still got time (Prov. 14:34). AMEN!
It’s going to be a great week to His glory! – Andy Baker Graeber Road church of Christ Rosenberg, TX