Remove the Gates
God has always been an advocate for choice. Why? Because our choices expose our heart and our motives. Our choices are the expression of our free will. From Genesis to Revelation, we see stories of individuals making choices and in turn, being made by those choices.
Ultimately in our decisions, we choose God or we don’t. His provision, direction, protection and redemption—it’s all laid out before us to accept or reject.
It seems the right choice would always be obvious. So what do we have to contend with? Convenience. It’s one of our worst enemies. It’s easy to choose holiness and righteousness, safety and security when it is convenient for us … then times get tough.
When we face a challenge, when things stop going our way, or when we let down our guard and begin to compromise our boundaries, our choices become muddled. We’re not thinking or seeing clearly anymore.
Our residence in the refuge of God is dependent upon us wanting to be there and exercising our will to stay there. If you want Him, you will have Him. If you only want Him when it is convenient for you, you enter into a dangerous zone. The scripture reiterates this, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24 NKJV).
This is why we must choose ahead of time whom or what we will serve. If we are to stand our ground and hold tight to our values we have to determine in advance that we will make wise choices.
What choices have you made that led to where you are today? Good or bad. Can you look back on critical moments and see their implication in your life?
The beautiful thing is God can take even our worse mistakes, our poorest choicest, and redeem them, working them together for His purposes. No matter what choices you’ve made in the past, today is a new day and you can begin again! That doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences to pay or hurdles to overcome but, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13.
So today, make the one choice that will make all the difference in the world. Choose to serve God no matter what. Choose that regardless of what temptations or tribulations come your way, you will choose Him!
Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:14-15).
Share
