A CHOICE

This picture popped up on my Facebook page:

Occasionally (Okay.  More than occasionally), God uses a 2 X 4 to get my attention and now Facebook.  Well, drat!  I want to make my own choices.   I do have free will – right?  

Exactly what is free will?  I pulled these out of an article at https://www.gotquestions.org/free-will.html :

If “free will” means that God gives humans the opportunity to make choices that genuinely affect their destiny, then yes, human beings do have free will.

However, free will does not mean that mankind can do anything he pleases.  Our choices are limited to what is in keeping with our nature.  (The article said we could make the choice to walk across a bridge, but we could not fly across it.)

Salvation is God’s work.  At the same time, our motives, desires, and actions are voluntary, and we are rightly held responsible for them.

Did you notice the ‘however’ in the second comment?  The ‘however’ seems to be consistent with the ‘but’ in this scripture:

The LORD took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but …

     Genesis 2:15-17

Back to the picture quote:  You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.

So why do I have free will if ‘however’ is going to begin the next sentence and ‘but’ is inserted into the agenda?

“Mary, do you want free will?”

Yes.      I think so.      Do I really have free will?

“You are free to choose…”

I hear a however coming.

“A bit sarcastic are we?  However, you are looking at this from the wrong direction.”

Wrong direction? 

“You have a choice to make --- do you want love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? …”  (Galatians 5:22)

Yes..

“I am not done yet.  You have a choice to make – do you want eternal life?  (Romans 6:23)  Do you want every tear wiped from your eyes and, my child, do you want to drink the crystal clear, flowing water of life?”  (Revelation 21:4; 22:1)

Well – Oh sorry.  I can tell you would like to say more.

“You are looking in the wrong direction.  You are looking at all the choices that might – might take away an earthly pleasure.  You should be looking at Free Will as the opportunity to choose my consequence.  And believe me, Mary; you do not want to miss any of them.  Did you read the part about the gates made of pearls?”

Yup and I have a question – exactly how big are the oysters?

“Let me tell you about that…No really.  They are big!”

Is this one of those fisherman stories?

____________________________________________

A CHOICE

We each have a choice.  We can choose God and be blessed by His consequences.  That is the choice I have made.

A PERSONAL STATEMENT OF FAITH

This was written, April 3, 2011, when a Sunday School lesson challenged us to write our own personal statement of faith.

I believe Jesus is the Son of God.

I believe Jesus walked on this earth and that he brought the love of God

to all who will accept it.

I believe Jesus can heal souls and bodies.

Although I may have times of doubt or times of disobedience,

I believe the love of Jesus is unending and never fails.

I believe Jesus is my salvation.

I believe Jesus died so my sins could be buried with him.

I believe he arose and is with his Father.

I believe Jesus lived so he could present me to his Father

as a forgiven, cleansed daughter.

Mary Earle

Discussion of Matthew 16:13-20

We each have a choice.  What is yours?