‘Choices’ can be defined as a variety of options or alternatives. While I do enjoy knowing my choices, I do not enjoy choosing. It’s often easier to be told what to do than to actually make the decision. It eliminates the chance of making a mistake.

Here’s the thing about having choices – we seem to think we have the ability to make the right choice all the time.

Adam and Eve were the first to have choices.

God placed them in the Garden of Eden, lush with every sort of vegetation and trees. He told them they may eat anything they desire except they may not eat from one tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God even told them what would happen should they eat from it, “You will surely die” (you can read for yourself in Genesis 2). God did not leave anything to their imaginations. He told them very specifically ”“ “Eat from that tree and you will die.” Pretty much no ifs, ands or buts.

They had plenty from which to choose. The serpent cast doubt, tempted them and they fell. But here’s the thing ”“ they could have said “no”.

Something happens to us when we have choices to make. We begin to think we have the right to the choice we have made. We begin to think God must honor our choice and bless it. We overlook the truth that we must make the right choice to honor and bless Him.

God has given us His Word to direct and guide us, to help us to make right choices. And granted, there have been times He has clearly stated, “Do not _____________.” Those times are for our very own good. Not to deny us, but to protect us from the fallout of making a bad choice.

I am not sure had I been in the garden, and the serpent came to me with some choices, I would have done any better than Eve. Oh sure, I would like to think I would. But I am not sure that human nature is much different today than it was then.

There have been times in my life in which my first choice would have been the wrong choice. Thankfully, the choice was yet in my mind and not followed through upon. As time passed, God worked in my thought process so that our course of action, our choice was changed.

But it was hard as we thought our choice was the right one. It took a bowing of the knees before Him, surrendering our right to make a choice of our choosing, and not moving ahead.

In speaking to the people, Moses brings a powerful reminder about the choices we make:

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might life! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him,  and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20, NLT)

Very simply, God instructs us to do three things when faced with a choice:

1. Love God.
2. Obey God.
3. Commit yourself firmly to God.

He says this is key to our lives. It may all come down to this:

When given a choice ”“
may there be no option, no alternative ”“
choose Him.

Only Him.

*This is an edited re-post.