Human stories are replete with examples of people going about their daily events living as they please...making choices of various kinds. In reading the Bible I am often reminded of this reality that people often choose their own path. We do "what is right in our own eyes" when it comes to accumulating wealth, parenting, marriage, entertainment and relationships. The Kings of the Old Testament are a myriad of stories of people choosing their own path...some chose to follow the path of God and were blessed and others chose their own way and ended up in misery.
The life of God is not a life of ease. It is not a life that is pain free. The life of God calls on us to make tough choices to go against what I might naturally "feel" to live a life that God blesses. There is a life that God blesses. And that life is one made by choosing his way. The life God blesses is full, rich, peaceful and rewarding
As God is painting the picture of those who did not pass the life choice test in order to enjoy the rewards of the blessed life, the list is stunning - cowards, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral people, practitioners of magic arts, idolaters, and liars. We typically have categories of each of these. We lock away the truly bad perpetrators in prison and the lesser continue to walk the streets. Some of these are our neighbors and some are us.
The life of God is a rich and rewarding life, but it is a life of choices...difficult choices...deciding that the life of God is better and fuller than the life I naturally want to choose.
For you...how has your life been blessed by God by making God blessed choices?
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