Friday, November 21, 2008

what's your choice?

It is such a joy to know that you are on the path God has laid out for you. I can honestly say nothing feels better. There are times when things get tough. That's for sure. But when you keep your eye on the prize and grasp hold of your vision and never let go, there is a godly hope that can't be destroyed.

I have a friend who always asks another friend of mine, "what has God been teaching you?" She always gets frustrated with that question because it becomes repetitious, but if you think about it, it's a fantastic question to ask. If you don't have an answer, it's because you aren't listening. If we push out the noise of this world, and tune our ears to the voice of God, we will learn that He is waiting to teach us something everyday. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He is waiting. He has nothing better to do than teach us. So how terrible that for most of our lives we never give Him the chance.

As I have been stating lately, God has been teaching me the realty of how much of God we can have. All my life, being raised in church, you tend to go with the motions at times. You do what you do because you know it's right. It's what you've been taught. Have you ever stood back, out of religion, and thought of this whole walk is merely a relationship? It's not a religion. Christianity is NOT a religion. It is a relationship. So how do you obtain a relationship with someone? You learn of them, spend time with them, until you know them so well you know what they are thinking, what they are feeling. How to please them, make them happy, and know their heart. That's Christianity. A relationship with the God-head. Our Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. There is no formula on how to spend time with Him either. Some might say, read the Bible for an hour a day, worship in private for 30 minutes, and prayer for an hour. Ok, that's great. At least you have a schedule, but that's a formula.

God is not a formula. And I am learning that more and more. He has said, and I have heard for many years but am just now coming to the "knowing", that you can have as much of God as you want. That means, anytime of the day, any amount of time, anywhere you are, God is there. You can have Him. Whatever you need and want. You can seek Him and learn of Him and get to know Him better and better and more and more. Every single day.There is no limit. The best part about it, is it's our choice. We choose. I like how my pastor puts it when he explains free will. He says God didn't make us like robots to say, "I love you." It would be like hearing His self on a recording saying "I love you" over and over. He takes pleasure in our own choice to worship Him.

He has made Himself available to us. We just have to go after Him. But when we go after Him, He comes after us just the same. When we seek Him, He rescues us. When we praise Him, He wraps us in His arms. When we ask Him questions, He reveals Himself. When we love Him, He pours mountains of love on us. There is no secret to our Father. None the less, He is satisfied with however much of Him we want. Because He just loves us. And wants us to choose. If we choose to marry Tom and He wants us to marry Bob, He will bless us with whatever He can. It wasn't His perfect will. But it comes back down to choosing. If we choose to go into the children's ministry but He called us to missions, He will bless what He can. Even if we give a cold cup of water in His name He will reward us.

So with all that said, it boils down to choice. Once again. It IS our life. We can choose. We have that freedom. But I think we can all say we want to choose right. We want to have the best life available. But in choice, there is sacrifice. Always. To follow God completley, we have to lay down our lives. If we follow our own desires, we are laying down God's. So either way, choice involves sacrifice. Think about it. What is your choice?

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