CHOICES

"I beseech ye therefore, brethern, by the mercies  of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."  Romans 12:2

 Sometimes we have the misconception when we start out on our  Christian journey  that all is going to be
 easy and rosy. But as we go  along, day by day, following the Lord we find there are a lot of rocks in the road.  A lot of hard places ~ a lot of things  we don't understand.  What do we do in the heat of the battle ~ When things are not so easy anymore?

I have found in my Christian journey that  God's way is the best way no matter what may come.
Just think of some of the Bible characters.  They had hard choices to make.  I think of the "Three Hebrew Children. The heat was on, literally!  But they were determined to follow in God's path even if it meant  being thrown into the heat.  They would not bend their knee to a false idol.  They did not bow - but, praise God, they didn't burn.  The Lord was right there with them and delivered them. 

Moses chose to folllow the Lord.  For forty long years all he heard was grumbling and complaining.  He was envied,  he was criticised,  No one really appreciated what he was doing, except   Joshua and Aaron and maybe a few more.
What do we do when we aren't appreciated or  we are criticised?  What is our attitude then?  Do we give up and say "What's the use.  No one notices me anyway?"  Or do we surrender it to the Lord and let Him handle the situation?  It is easier to try and work things out  within ourselves.  I'll have to admit  that I have done this more than once.  I wonder why it is that we think we are capable of handling life's problems?  The Lord is right here for us and wants us to let Him handle everything.  I am always amazed at how the Lord works when we let Him. 

I thought of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.  He was completely surrendered to the Lord.  As they were stoning Him to death - he looked up and said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."   Oh, that we may have a right attitude  toward those that do us wrong.  May we forgive!  The Lord forgave us!  Why is it so hard for us to forgive others?   Not too long ago I found that I had an attitude of unforgiveness toward something that happened years ago.  I thought I had forgiven, but in the recesses of my heart,  the Lord showed me I  still had a wrong spirit about it.  I am so thankful for the workings of the Holy Spirit.

The greatest of all was the choice our Savior made to come down from heaven and all it's riches -
 into this ugly, smutty world that has nothing to offer to really make man happy.  So many are searching
for happiness but are looking for it in the wrong places.  Jesus paid the Supreme sacrifice on Calvary that
we could be happy in what He has to offer.  Salvation!   The greatest part is- it is free to anyone that will
make the choice to follow Him.  It if cost money a lot of us would not be Christians today.  It does not cost
money but there is a cost in following Him.  Are we willing to pay the  price to follow Him.?  Are we willing to  follow where He leads?   Our paths may not always be easy, but nowhere do I find in His Word where He told us life would always be easy.  He doesn't  promise us an easy path but He does promise that He will never leave us or forsake us! 

There are so many examples in God's Word of  choices Bible characters made.  Some good and some not so good.  I only chose a few. 

 I do not ask a place of ease
with nothing hard to do.
I only ask that in the test
that God would keep me true.