To What Do We Look and What Do We Choose?

Prayer-Soldier

To What Do We Look and What Do We Choose?

Scripture:

Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people wickedly transgressed according to all the abominations of the Gentiles: and they defiled the house of the Lord, which he had sanctified to himself in Jerusalem. And the Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand of his messengers, rising early, and daily admonishing them: because he spared his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused the prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and there was no remedy.

And the enemies set fire to the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burnt all the towers, and whatsoever was precious they destroyed. Whosoever escaped the sword, was led into Babylon, and there served the king and his sons till the reign of the king of Persia. That the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias might be fulfilled, and the land might keep her Sabbaths: for all the days of the desolation she kept a Sabbath, till the seventy years were expired. But in the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, to fulfill the word of the Lord, which he had spoken by the mouth of Jeremias, the Lord stirred up the heart of Cyrus king of the Persians who commanded it to be proclaimed through all his kingdom, and by writing also, saying: Thus says Cyrus king of the Persians: All the kingdoms of the earth has the Lord the God of heaven given to me, and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea: who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.
(2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23)

But God, (who is rich in mercy,) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together in Christ, (by whose grace you are saved,) And has raised us up together, and has made us sit together in the heavenly places, through Christ Jesus. That he might show in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man may glory. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God has prepared that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:4-10)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting. For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. He that believes in him is not judged. But he that does not believe, is already judged: because he believes not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, and comes not to the light, that his works may not be reproved. But he that does truth, comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.
(John 3:14-21)

Reflection:

The choice remains before us, the ways of the world or the ways of our Creator. We argue among ourselves as to to what we comprehend of this choice. Some parse the words of the prophets as to their meaning while others simply choose to ignore what the prophets speak. Some miss the mark as to what our Creator asks of us for what they perceive as zealousness pulls them instead to judge and hate. Others miss the mark as to what our Creator asks of us for as they decide to make their own ways, they too, turn to judgment and hate of those who do not believe as them.

In the realm of the world, people are driven by what they perceive as fulfilling their needs, which too often translates to desires of the world rather than the needs of eternal life. Many turn to ways which are merely illusions of fulfillment, for such ways are temporary at best; merely camouflage of a deep hole of darkness, emptiness, and cold. Others turn away from their Creator for they do not wish to be held to account for the harm which they cause. They believe that by simply closing their eyes and their ears that they will not be seen or heard so the One who created them will not call for them to atone for their ways of evil.

We ignore the prophets at our peril, for the words of the prophets are the words of our Creator, seeking to guide us away from that which is wicked, from that which yields dark emotions, from that which yields harm to relationships, from that which oppresses, from that which destroys not only the body, but also the soul. (Luke 12:4-5)

Each day which we wake, the choice remains before us. As we engage one another, the choice remains before us. As we consider every option of the day, the choice remains before us. Each moment of each day, in all which we do, we either choose to live by His ways or turn away. We either build as He guides us or we tear down as the darkness seduces us.

We are blessed with a patient God. Through His great love and mercy, He opens the door to that where we might turn from wickedness and enter into His kingdom of love. His desire is not judgment and condemnation, that is our choice. His desire is to forgive us of our failings and to cleanse us of our iniquities, but He has left the choice to us whether we choose the path of eternal life or the path of eternal darkness. (Deuteronomy 30:15-19, Sirach 15:14-17)

The One who created us, though He granted to each of us freewill in what we choose, does not simply wait for us to come to Him; He calls, He beckons. It was not enough that He spoke through His angels and His prophets. Though He is justified in wrath for the wickedness of the children of His creation, His desire is not to condemn or destroy. His desire is to love, a love so great that He sent His only begotten Son to gather us in. It is through the sacrifice of His Son, in atonement for our sins, that we may be forgiven, but forgiveness is not ours if we turn away from it.

The choice, then, is before us. With each breath which we draw, we have the opportunity to choose all the blessings of love and eternal life. What, then, will we choose?

Questions for further reflection:

As we listen in prayer, what does God stir within our heart?

What does the grace of God mean to our daily journey?

What is the blessing of the serpent raised in the desert and what does it mean to our journey?
(Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:14-15)

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier