Photo by Cenk Batuhan Ozaltun (unsplash.com)
Options
None of us would intentionally choose pain. Natural instinct causes us to choose things that bring us pleasure, joy, happiness, laughter, satisfaction…all the feels.
Right?
Of course we do.
So when we go through that buffet line, we choose our favorites…creamy macaroni and cheese, garlicky mashed potatoes, juicy fried chicken…brussels sprouts? Actually, I happen to enjoy brussels sprouts, kinda sad they get such a bad rap, so that would go on my plate too. Anyway, you get the point.
We skip the things we don’t like and pick the things we do.
Life is full of choices. There are some we get to make, and some we don’t.
Some we should, and some we wish we could have back.
But there are some that aren’t, that we turn into choices.
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.”
1 John 5:2-4
Picking and choosing
Have you turned God’s commands into choices? Have you made obedience a choice?
Don’t steal – “No problem Lord. Got that one covered!”
Honor your father and mother – “Yep. Easy peasy God!”
Love your neighbor as yourself – “Uh. Well. Got no problem with the one across the street, but the one next door has this dog…”
Go therefore and make disciples – “Hmm, I thought that was just for preachers and missionaries”
Pray for those who persecute you – “Wait…what?
Has God told you to do something and you haven’t done it? Are you waiting to see if he’ll change his mind?
I think you know how that’s going to turn out.
The love of God is to keep his commandments! They are not burdensome! Are you treating them like it’s the buffet line – picking and choosing which ones you like and don’t like – which ones you’ll obey and which ones you’ll skip?
My friends, God’s commands are not optional.
Obedience is not optional.
Excellent!