Choice

 Every day we make choices some as insignificant as what we wear to life alerting ones considering health or family. As indecisive person myself, I like the plan to already be set up, and I run with it. Choices can bring so many unknown variables. Every once in a while, I am forced to make some important decision that I stew over pros and cons and yes and nos. In the end hoping I made the right one and secretly wishing again that I didn’t’ have to make the decision

Why is this such a big deal? Well, a long time ago God decided that love was better served with a choice. When beings are created without a choice to love God and it is the default, how much weight does that carry? Do you want your spouse or your significant other with you because they choose you every day or because it was a plan set up and they have to. Of course, we all want to be chosen. So did God. He went out on a pretty big limb here and gave us mere mortals the gift of free will. We would not be forced into a relationship with our creator or even forced to acknowledged he existed. What followed is the greatest love story ever told. 

Let’s face it. When left to our own devices we are a mess. We are selfish. Unless a force acts upon us we will choose US every time. Unless love steps in, we will only want what serves our own wants, desires, and needs. 

The world was dark in chaos, and God decided He would do something about it. He did not take away our ability to choose. What He did was up the ante. In our world of darkness, God wanted to send us something that would demonstrate His love. Would be His walking talking love. But still left the choice up to us.

He sent His one and only Son to Earth as a baby with no super powers or titles. He sent Jesus to pay the sacrifice that had to be made for our rebellion. God is Holy. Completely and Utterly Holy and He can’t stand to have anything unholy in His sight. How was this to work with these bumbling and fumbling humans? He sent His Son not just to show us-in person- His love, He sent His child to pay the price. 

I have pondered this over and over in my mind. Take my everything. Take my very life, but not my child. As a parent, there is a kind of love there that I don’t think any word in and language can quite describe that kind of love. You can call me anything you like, but call my baby something and now we have issues. Make my child cry, and those won’t be the only tears going to be shed. My babies are my heart strings. To even consider, sacrificing them for “a good cause” is unacceptable. To sacrifice my children for spoiled, selfish, and antagonistic people? You have lost your mind. It’s no metaphor to say I would stand in front of a bullet for my child. I mean it when I say if my last breath saved theirs then so be it. That is a parent.

AND YET. What would convince God to send His only Son to be treated so poorly- mocked, cursed, tormented, and ultimately killed a horrible death to be a ransom for our freedom. God knew that in order for His creation, these humans to stand before him, and celebrate eternity with them they had to become Holy. Something they were unable to face on their own. He needed a sinless sacrifice to spill blood once and for all to cover the sins of many. Cover it does. 

So why? The only reasonable answer is a kind of love we know so little about, it will only be revealed to us in Glory, Heaven. It seems almost unreverent to use the word love because it is so over used and this- THIS – what he has toward us is so. Much. More. He wanted us. This was the only way to fulfil the law, and meet with his people. The world became BLACK and a sorrow that has never and never will be known again fell, and God the Father, gave us His Son. 

Wow. What could ever be payback for this? It is ultimately impossible. There is nothing you or I can do that would come close to repayment. It is ridiculous when we have entire denominations thinking they need works to be saved. The scriptures say that all our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We couldn’t work our way to heaven in any circumstance. 

What can I give the Son who came as a baby, would grow to a man, and ultimately become my Savior? I give Him my choice. 

This was the plan with freewill all along. We would CHOOSE Him. We swallow our pride and take that one step toward him. We say “It might not make sense right now, I might be the only one doing it, I surely don’t know what I’m in for, but Jesus, when given the choice to live for you or without you, I choose you. I choose you today. I choose you in the valleys and on the hilltops. I choose you when I am feeling it and when I am most certainly not feeling it. Every morning when I open my eyes, I choose you. 

That is my first gift I bring to my God this holiday season. I bring my gift of choice. I choose you for all eternity. I am in it for the long haul. I am amazed that I even get to even make this choice. But true love cannot be force or coerced. It must be given with an open hand, with the opportunity to close it at any time. It all comes down to our freewill choice. No fireworks, no promises of riches or fame- usually quite the opposite! But we have fall so in love with this Jesus that we come confidently to His throne and say, “This is crazy. I don’t know why you would want me, but I am so, so glad you do. Because today and from everyday into eternity, I choose you. Without any other wants or reservation. I choose you because you first chose me.

So today my gift most Holy of Fathers is this- I give you my gift of choice. I choose you.