Choices

I recently read a good article which encouraged us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:25). Despite the specific difficulties we face in Israel because of only one day off and long work hours, we can still make the effort to meet together through writing to each other and telephoning each other, even sending a postcard. So I am bold enough to write this article. There are miracles going on in the life of each of us, even if they appear just to be in the ordinary nature of things. We must remember that God?s greatest creation was man himself, i.e. your own body. In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, and gave them freedom of choice, even to the extent of them making mistakes. This freedom of choice was real and not just a semblance. We continue to have this amazing freedom of choice, right up to the second of our death. Every minute, we have this freedom. We can choose what and whom to believe, to reply or keep silent, to be patient or not to. To approach someone or not; to reach out our hand in help, or to just not notice.

We have as it were a kaleidoscope of events and choices, and yet in reality there is always a black and white choice for us. Faith and love must show themselves in action ? whom we love, how we love, our choice for unity or division. Each choice we have, we move either closer to God or further away from Him. When we make choices which move us closer to God, even this is just the beginning, as we must then follow in a way which involves keeping His commands and understanding further His character. These characteristics are all consistent, for with Him there is no change or shadow brought about by turning (James 1:17). By mixing with our Brothers and Sisters we are strengthened to walk in this way as we see them also being changed by making the right choices.

The epitome of all these things is to be found in the events in the garden of Eden. Man was created a living soul, after the image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7); he was ?very good?. Man had everything required in order to live acceptably before God. But then the snake entered the scene. He was intelligent, but surely not more intelligent than Adam and Eve. They should have been intelligent enough to know that God had really said, ?You shall surely die,? whereas the snake said that they would not surely die. It was of course all in God?s plan, because in Num. 22:28 an ass was also enabled to speak. So God gave man a temptation from his inferior, an animal. The real nature of their failure was not because the snake was cleverer than them, but because they loved themselves more than they loved God their Creator. Eve wanted to eat what looked pleasant to her eyes and senses. She herself had full choice, and could not blame the snake. The snake didn?t say ?Eat it, Eve!?. He just said ?You will not really die.? The decision to sin, to eat the fruit, was taken within Eve. The snake suggested that if she ate the fruit, she would be like gods, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5). This was a fantasy for Eve, and she wanted it for herself. She failed to believe, that God alone is God and there is none like Him (Deut 4:39). We must serve Him and not ourselves.

We also are always under the temptation to think that we can take what we want for ourselves, that it will be nothing so terrible if we do. Adam was deceived by the voice of the woman Eve, just as she had been by the snake. Neither Adam or Eve lived up to the place of responsibility which they had been given, for if they had, then they would not have made the wrong choices. Adam?s mind was lazy. He didn?t make any effort to resist sin. When God asked Adam if he had eaten of the forbidden tree, he should have replied: ?Forgive me Lord, but yes I have?. But No! Adam blamed his wife (Gen. 3:12). He even implied God was in the wrong for giving him such a wife. We cannot blame anyone for our sins, not even Adam. He failed to see the difference between light and darkness; he thought that the lack of God?s visible presence meant that he was unseen in making the selfish choice. Our human nature makes the same mistake. But God has shown us what is good and it is our choice not to walk in that way (Mic. 6:3,8). God said that Israel were like a vineyard, and He could not have done more to enable them to bear good fruit (Isa. 5:3,4). We must believe that God will not tempt us in a way that is too great for us to endure. He will provide a way of escape in such cases.

God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). He has given us the potential to overcome each temptation. We must ask that He will open our eyes to understand His word, that He will teach us strengthening things from His lips (Ps. 119:18). And we have the example of Jesus, who was faced with choice after choice and yet never sinned. Like us He must have had things that initially He didn?t understand; or debated within Himself the possible meanings of Scripture, as He did during His wilderness temptations. Knowing all this, let us choose life, that we may live.
 

Sis. Natasha (Karmiel, Israel)