Making decisions is something we do every day. We use our free will to choose, and there are only two choices regarding our relationship with God: We either obey God or disobey Him. In the middle of the Garden of Eden, God placed the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God commanded Adam not to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God wanted Adam to exercise his freedom of choice to obey Him (Genesis 2:8-17). He didn't create Adam as a robot, but He created him as a human being with the freedom to choose. Although God knew ahead of time that Adam would choose to disobey Him, He still wanted Adam to use his freedom to choose. God could have easily intervened and stopped Adam from using his freedom to choose or free will, but that would defeat the purpose of giving someone the freedom to choose. The consequences of disobeying God were physical and spiritual death, and these consequences would not only affect Adam but would affect the entire human race, all creation, and God Himself. It would require God to sacrifice His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross to save us from our sins and restore our relationship with Him.
Our choices always have consequences. The consequences of obeying God are God's blessings, but the consequences of disobeying God are despair and destruction. So, when we make decisions about everything we do and say, we must ask ourselves if we are obeying or disobeying God because this will determine where we end up. When we disobey God, God can always forgive and restore us spiritually when we repent and ask God for forgiveness. However, our forgiveness does not take away the consequences of our sins. Many godly men and women who are now forgiven today are still living with the consequences of the wrong choices that they have made in the past. Some are having difficulty overcoming their regrets, guilt, and shame. We need to make godly decisions today. We must choose what is good in God's eyes and not in our own eyes.
We express our humanity by exercising our freedom of choice. God has given us the freedom to choose whatever we want, but let us be Joshua. He said these words when he was encouraging the people of Israel, "So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:14-15)."
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why is it important for me to choose to obey and serve God? Do I understand that everything that I choose to do and say has consequences? Am I choosing to obey God in my current situation? If not, why?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them to God.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, I understand that every decision I make has consequences. Please help me choose to obey you in everything I do and say. Please empower me with Your Spirit to choose what is right before you. Please help me to choose what is right in my current situation. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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