Choices & Invasions
It’s been officially over 10 full days of no soda pop (or energy drinks!!). And for me, that’s a win. I know, I know….“what a weak New Year’s Resolution” you’re thinking. Most of you are striving to be stronger husbands and wives, more devoted in your prayer life with God, shedding pounds or gaining lean muscle mass.
But for me, it’s a victory!
And I intentionally chose something small because I have grown sick and tired of failing. What begins as a weeklong self-esteem boost (I’m doing it, I’m really doing it!!), quickly turns into 350+ day reminder—until the next year—of how pathetic, really, I am. And, sadly, I don’t think I’m alone….
Apart from Christ, we are weak.
But in the end, whether your resolution is big or small—or if you’ve ditched them altogether like I know some of you have—the importance of choices remains clear. Coke or water? Get up at 5:00 to work out or sleep in? Lose your patience or hold your tongue?
And now, a thought to ponder. C.S. Lewis, everybody:
Why is God landing [as some people think] in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil? Why is He not landing in force, invading it? Is it that He is not strong enough? Well, Christians think He is going to land in force; we do not know when. But we can guess why He is delaying. He wants to give us the chance of joining His side freely…I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks on the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else—something it never entered your head to conceive—comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choices left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has becoming impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment [2011!!], is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it.
While some choices—like drinking that Coke or not—may be meaningless in the eternal scheme of things. Others are not.
This year…..
This very day…..
Recommit your time and talents, realign your life, and rediscover Christ’s love for you. Because this chance and this choice will not last forever.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)