Strong spirits: I may
For our whole life, we will be making choices, good ones and bad ones.
May reminds us that we have choices, as in "I may do this, or I may do that." God gifts us with free will, and that means for our whole life, we will be making choices, good ones and bad ones. It also means consequences. Good choices, good consequences. Bad choices, well, you get the picture.
God's gift of free will means he doesn't impose his will on anyone. If I believe that God's will for me is good, then I will be smart to be very careful to live my life in line with that will. But he will never force me to.
A favorite verse for me is this: "If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old is gone, and all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) The key word is "If". My choice. The rest is the wonderful promise of what happens when I choose to follow him.
And it's not a one-time deal. Nothing can separate me from the love of God once I am his (Romans 8), but I can wander off, or quit following, or simply ignore or defy him.
We "may" choose a life of living for and with Jesus. Or we "may" choose a life without him. Our choice.
Happy May! Choose wisely...
Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.
