Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 30:15–20

Pro-Choice

Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! (Joel 3:14)

 

The Bible is pro-choice. Oh, I’m not talking about contemporary politics and some euphemistic attempt to camouflage our culture’s fixation on death (abortion). No, I’m talking about the Bible’s insistence that every citizen of Planet Earth has been endowed by God with a genuine capacity to choose, thus making each of us fully responsible for our own lives and destinies. Over and over again at pivotal moments in biblical history, God confronts us with this terrifying responsibility: we have to choose.

,. Moses: I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

,. Joshua: Choose this day whom you will serve. (Joshua 24:15)

,. Elijah: How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. (I Kings 18:21)

,. Jesus: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. (Matthew 7:13)

In this recurring emphasis on choice, God wants us to understand that:

 

1. Choice is inevitable. There is no way out; you must Neutrality is not an option. In fact, not to decide is to decide! Until we make a conscious choice to follow Jesus Christ we are, by definition, choosing to not follow him. Jesus put it this way: Whoever is not with me is against me (Matthew 12:30).

 

2. Choice is What happens to us tomorrow is determined by what choices we make today. Though some choices are clearly more significant than others, every choice we make works to move us one step closer to either heaven or hell. We are free to choose the path we follow. But the consequences of that choice are predetermined.

 

3. Choice is Our consumer society tends to make us believe we have lots of choices. Hardly! In God’s Kingdom all choices basically boil down to two fundamental options: the way that leads to life and the way that leads to destruction.  C. S. Lewis put it well: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘Thy will be done.’” (The Great Divorce)
4. Choice is now. Satan whispers, “You have plenty of time. Don’t rush into this. You can follow God . . . tomorrow.” But tomorrow never comes. The only time to decide to follow Jesus Christ is now. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts . . . (Hebrews 3:7). Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2).

 

Midway along the journey of my life I woke to find myself in a dark wood,

for I had wandered off from the straight path.

—Dante, from first lines of The Inferno

 

point to ponder • “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.” Have you not responded to God’s voice at some point in the past? Looking back in retrospect, how did your lack of response leave you?

 

prayer focus • Strength and courage to follow God’s direction.