CHOICES
We have many choices that we get to make in life. There are all kinds of choices – some are
easy to make…some much more difficultIt often depends on where our focus is as to what choice we will make.
In the scripture today, Isaiah gets a choice to follow God and deliver a difficult message to the people. He can tell them of their sin or he can decline. He can choose to deliver the message and still not do it God's way. There is a definite path God has in mind.
Choices are difficult – but one of the most important
choices we get to make in this world is whether or not we will follow God. Will we give our life to Him or will we do
what we want? The choice is up to you
and me. We can't choose for anyone other
than ourselves.
DECISIONS
From those choices, we make decisions. When we make the choice to follow God, then
our decision is to live for Him. We have
decided that living for Him is just that important to us. We have so many decisions to make…today, Patrick made the
decision to make the public confession of his faith. This is a decision to show others that we
will live for Him. When we make the decision that we are going to follow Christ
and live for Him, then we die to self – in a sense. We are putting away the things that have held
us captive and rise to a new life.
Isaiah is experiencing redemption from his sins and a new
life by submitting and telling God that he is willing and ready to go!
Giving our life over to God doesn't mean we will always
make the right decision. There will
be times when we will not do the right thing – we will follow temptations and
slip. We make mistakes, we sin, we choose the wrong path…but
ultimately God helps us find our way back if we submit to Him rather than doing
it ourselves.
These are steps along our journey…This journey that we are
on is challenging and often overwhelming. Since we do make wrong choices, we make the journey harder
than it really has to be. But, when we come
back, we have the opportunity to have learned from the mistakes we have made in
order to make better choices and decisions.
CHANGES
When we make see our choices, make the decision to follow,
we are changed. Once Isaiah decided to go – he was never the same. He was changed by the good decision he made.
What good decisions can you make to change the life you are living? Maybe it means that we do what Patrick has done and we show our new life in Christ
Maybe it means that we begin to follow with more passion. Maybe it means that we willingly give over our lives to Him. Maybe it means that we spend a little more time with the Lord. Whatever it means, it may be time to see our choices, make our decisions, and change for him.
