January 27. Matthew 7

Choices

Choices – we make hundreds of them in a day, some large and some small. Striped shirt or plaid? Call or text? Plain coffee or a Half-Caf Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino Blended Coffee? And while our choices may seem crucial in the moment, most really aren’t. But God reminds us that some of the choices we make each and every day can determine our eternal destiny, and that we need to put some serious thought into these choices.

In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of 3 different choices we must make: Wide gate or narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14)? Good fruit tree or bad fruit tree (Matthew 7:21-23)? Foundation on the rock or foundation on the sand (Matthew 7:24-27)? All three choices are tied together back to one truth – we either follow Jesus and his teaching, and allow him to be our foundation and Lord, or we live life for ourselves and our desires, and willingly face the consequences. We are given free will to choose what we will do, but we must choose. God will not decide for us, nor will he force us to choose him. That is the kind of God he is. If we want to be righteous, we must choose it. If we want to obey him, it is our decision. And if we want to allow him to be our firm foundation, we must step aside and allow him to take over.

Sometimes we can feel that the decision to lead a righteous life can weigh us down or is too difficult to carry out. That we ‘don’t have what it takes’ to live the life of a follower of Jesus. Or that the world is having all the ‘fun’. But we need to remember this as we choose: GOD CHOSE FIRST!

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and good will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:4-6 NIV

GOD CHOSE to bring us into a relationship with him, and HE CHOSE to send his son to die for us so that we could be redeemed when we went astray. HE CHOSE to adopt us as sons and daughters, and HE CONTINUALLY CHOOSES to bestow his grace and mercy on each of us, because of his unconditional love. Knowing this makes my decision a great deal easier!

Some of Moses’ final words to the Israelites before he died were these:

“This day, I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life...” Deuteronomy 30:19-20a NIV

How will you choose?