We’ve had a bit of a rough start this year with so many being sick, including Linda and me. But I have great hope that tomorrow will find all of the faithful back together to honor our Lord. We choose life, as individuals and as a congregation.

It would be easy to become discourage, and I confess I’ve been feeling a little of that, but I am realizing something even as I write this. The message that He gave me for this week is equally applicable to the church as a whole as it is to us as individuals. We must choose life!

In our daily conversation, we often speak of life in less than glowing terms. We say that life isn’t fair. We describe it as unpredictable and often unpleasant. Yes, unpredictable and unpleasant things happen to us as well as do good things, but these are not the definition of life. Life is a gift from God. Life is good! We are instructed to choose life.

What does it mean to choose life? Given the issues of our day, it may be that abortion comes to mind. Certainly choosing life has a very real application in that case. It may also come to mind as we consider the value of life for those who are suffering. We speak of quality of life, but we are not equipped to judge such things. Life belongs to God. Only he is fit to assess its quality.

Our ideas about these issues are informed by our relationship with the author of life. In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, we find Moses speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. They have been given God’s law. He has just explained in stark terms the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. Serving Yahweh leads to life. Serving anyone or anything else leads to death. We have largely abandoned pagan idols, but we still worship false gods. We have dispensed with the surrogates and simply worship ourselves.

Israel would fall as Moses prophesied that they would, but he also prophesied her redemption, and we know Him as Jesus. Israel could not keep the law, and neither can we. None of us is able to stand before a holy God. We have all sinned and fallen short of Hid glory. Yet because He loves us so, he sent His only son to pay the penalty for our sins. It remains for us to choose the life that He has freely given. When we accept His lordship over us, we gain His life, and that begins to affect our life choices.

We must actively and always choose life. Choose good over evil, life over death, love over indifference. God gives life, and life is good!

Live it up, and show up on Sunday! 🙂