CHOOSE; CHOSE; CHOSEN!
Sunday’s Monday
One of life’s early lessons is that we have the right and ability to choose many things that happen in our lifetime. As well many of us learn early, there are consequences following that which we chose. Now consequence has but one basic meaning as found in dictionary.com: the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier. However, there are two basic categories that are not mentioned: good, or bad! Which is almost always directed by the character of our choice. That is why it is important that we choose wisely to experience long-term pleasure from that which we chose. I pray you’re getting this thus far because this is the product God has chosen as my subject this week.
Today just happens to be Easter Sunday and each individual soul has the privilege and honor to choose to celebrate, ignore, or deny the sacrifice that took place some two thousand plus years ago. That’s our God! He loves us enough to allow us to choose whether we believe in Him or not. As an eyewitness to the events, John The Apostle penned John 3:16-17 (NLT), 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” God loves us so much that He doesn’t make us love Him, even though He could. He desires we believe and love Him through the feelings of our own free will.
I am not sure how people view the events which took place before, and during the crucifixion, much less after the resurrection. But I view it as the greatest love story ever told! Every episode, event, and action took place because God loves us so deeply that He does not want to be separated from us. He loves us enough to allow us the choice to spend eternity (life) with or without Him. Verse 16 in John chapter 3, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life, says it all. But then John 3:20-21 (NLT), “20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” consequences explained. Jesus is the light of God sent into this world to show and teach us how God intends for us to behave and live. All because He loves us unconditionally. He is ours to choose!
God loves unconditionally! I’m sure many of us have been tripped up by the words unconditional love, which is as it should be since we humans are incapable of such. I see the internet explains Unconditional love to mean, choosing to love regardless of circumstances. But to be even more pointed with my intent, I searched the word unconditional and found dictionary.com defined unconditional as not limited by conditions; absolute. Interesting but going even deeper absolute, something that is not dependent upon external conditions for existence or for its specific nature, size, etc. God’s going to love us no matter what we do. Nothing we can do will make God love us any more or less than He does now! Thus, He allows us to choose where our eternity will be and how our lives will be spent here. The key is in John 3:30 (NLT), He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
So, after worship today as we run about visiting family and friends, eating great food, hunting those colored eggs, or just relaxing at home, let us remember the greatest love story ever told. John 3:16-17 (NLT), 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” Hopefully, it will spark a small glimmer of hope, a little sadness for God’s sacrifice, and a lot of joy just knowing that God’s love for you is absolute!
Lord, I lift up in prayer today a cry for clarity, may we each receive clear sight in what you did thousands of years ago. May each of us clearly understand the direction of that which we choose and be ready to enjoy or endure the consequences of what we chose. Open our hearts and minds to know that we will be your chosen only through what we choose to believe and live this day. Help us to understand John 3:35-36 (NLT), 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” Help each of us dear Lord to choose that which you chose so that we may obtain the right to be called your chosen. Thank you, Father: Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
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