IT'S MY CHOICE

With days having to do with a new year, I have been thinking back to choices, some made by me and some by others that perhaps affected me.  Most choices of any import will not only affect the chooser but also have effects on those around the chooser.

Looking back, I've like others have made good choices and some not so good.  Our choices begin when very young, when such don't have much effect on others.  I remember the day I decided to out in our backyard to our coal shed.  I love the smell of coal and it was black and shiney.  Why not...so I took a bite.  It wasn't bad at all but when my mother caught me doing it, I found my choice had not been a good one.

I've been thinking lately of some choices made by folks in the Bible that had varied results.  Eve hose to eat fruit that was forbidden, Moses to chose to follow God's bidding and lead his people.  I think of Daniel and his three friends who chose to not eat or drink for a time of the king's provision.  Also in my mind were four fishermen who chose to become fishers of men.  Saul, who wanted to eradicate Christians off the earth's surface, had a confrontation with Jesus one day and he chose a different way.  Jesus in His humanity asked if the oncoming cup could pass from Him.  Jesus knew what was ahead and it was a far more dreadful thing to contemplate than you and I can imagine.   Then Jesus chose in a huge way:  "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done."  No choice was ever so great as in that moment.  Jesus chose the cross.

In our spiritual walk, it seems so little to choose Jesus compared to the choice He made on our behalf.  My choices are simple compared to His:  reading my Bible today, supporting my church financially, being a person of prayer, speaking for Jesus at every opportunity and being available to love and serve as my Father would want of me. 

For all of us, the greatest choice we ever made was to choose Jesus as our Savior.  We've made more choices than we can count or remember but this particular one is by far the most important.  With that choice Jesus made on our behalf, our choice seems so little but Jesus knew what He was doing.  In that process, He chose me.

There's no way to thank You Father for loving me so much You would send Your Son do died for me and all mankind.  Help me to make the choices in my life that will honor and glorify You.  In Your Son Jesus' precious name...Amen