The Choice
Easter presents an epic example of the power of choice.
All throughout Jesus’ short life on earth He had choices to make but there was one choice that shifted the course of history for all mankind. I would call it THE choice.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, He faced a choice - obey the Father or to listen to his mortal body that what quite literally shutting down from sheer anxiety and agony of what was to come.
It would be nice to think that His first thought was some valiant, super spiritual response but it wasn’t. In fact, His first prayer was to petition His Father and ask if there was another way.
“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
He may have been the Son of God, but He was made flesh and blood here on earth and therefore He felt terror, pain, and fear just the same as you or I. Jesus’ prayer was normal because the choice set before Him was no small thing. He was going to ravaged by those who had for years been stewing with savage hatred and then He was going to be crucified. Worst of all He was going to be separated (if even for a time) from His beloved Father with whom He had sweet fellowship, all because the sins of you and I would be placed upon Him.
Considering that, His prayer seems rather rational for someone about to face horror.
So how did we end up with an Easter story?
Jesus made a choice that night; not just any choice but THE choice to show the greatest love.
He set aside the natural fleshly screams of the flesh and in faith, He committed Himself in the hands of God and let Himself be taken, brutalized, shamed, scorned, tortured, and mocked so that in 3 days (as His Father had prophesied would happen), He would arise victorious, just as it was written. He decided that for the joy set before Him (the joy of knowing those who had believed would see an accomplishment of their faith, death would be defeated, his bride would finally sealed unto Himself, and the hope of salvation be able to be freely offered to all who would yet believe) he endured the cross and was obedient unto death.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Jesus wasn’t looking at the current circumstance He was about to face, He was looking at the promises waiting for Him on the other side, and He had faith that His choice to be obedient would secure those precious promises.
In short, I believe Jesus chose to do right not because of what He felt and saw in the moment but because of the faith He had in the promises of God.
Think about it this way, God didn’t force Jesus to go to the cross. Jesus CHOSE to go to the cross. God didn’t force Jesus to be obedient all the days of His life, Jesus CHOSE to be obedient. At any point in time Jesus could have chosen differently, but He didn’t.
To say I am grateful Jesus made the choice He did and the ultimate choice to die is an understatement. Without that choice the hope of salvation celebrated during Easter would not exist.
I hope you take the time this Easter to consider the power of choices because they truly do define relationships, help shape the culture and build or break character.
Like Jesus, every day that we live and breathe, choices present themselves. What we decide in those moments sets the stage for the next round of choices to be made and the cycle continues indefinitely.
The Bible demonstrates this from Genesis to Revelation. It shows the consequences of good and bad choices and the ensuing twists and turns developed in the lives of the choice maker and those affected by those choices. Sometimes the choices lead to endings that left an inheritance of glory and grace that blessed generations, and other times the choices lead to darkness and death.
Of course, there are things I (nor you) genuinely have a choice over like the weather or the sunrise, but the things that I do have a choice over (which are a lot!) are not things that can be excused as “just who I am” or “just what is”.
God gave free will and that free will requires me (and everyone) to be active participants and choices to be made. Not even Jesus was exempt from this requirement.
My encouragement is to take time to reflect this Easter on the behaviors you live out and the choices you consistently make. Your life is a legacy of choices. Maybe you have chosen to make good choices and to that I say, keep going!!
However, there are many who have fallen into the rut of making bad choices because it has become a comfortable cycle that no one has challenged and when some have dared, the conscience of the choice maker is ready with the excuse “it’s just who I am” (implying no change is capable or necessary and others simply must adapt). To you I say, stop buying into the endless excuses for bad behavior or an unwillingness to change! That is a lie! Follow that logic through and all jail cells that hold the sociopaths, serial killers, psychopaths, pedophiles, and anyone else that is a danger to society should be set free because when they claim “it’s just who I am” they really are 100% correct. They do have a mental illness that has permanently broken their mind and barring a miracle of God, that isn’t something they can change.
The truth is:
You CAN make better choices! The fact that you can choose at all says you have at least two decisions presented and if you are a believer then there is always a choice that represents truth as an available option.
You are NOT too old or too young to change or learn! Character is built by habitual choices so wherever you are, start asking God to show you how to choose that which is good, holy, lovely, true, and full of blessing.
You DO possess that power to make wise, Holy Spirit, lead choices that grow your character and transform your life. A believer is NOT a slave to the flesh!
You are NOT permanently stuck because of past choices! Yes, good, and bad choices carry consequences, but that does not mean that there is no hope or possibility for you to choose better the next time.
Here are some questions to help you begin the process. Be honest because you are not fooling God and you are not going to fool others. Choices always end up revealing the truth about a heart condition no matter how hard we try to hide. Let the truth set you free and on the road to making good and/or better choices. :)
What kinds of choices do I consistently make?
How have they shaped me?
How have they affected others? My relationships?
What choices need to be replaced with better ones?
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Today is the day and now is the time to choose and keep on choosing the things that good and right.
I wish you all a blessed Easter that is full of thanksgiving and wonder!
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