We make decisions every day. From turning the alarm off (who wants to listen to that!) to then deciding whether to heed the alarm’s call to get up, to taking a shower, to fixing or eating breakfast on the run, the list is endless. Some mundane. Some life-changing.
The Bible is filled with characters who made major decisions. For example:
- Samson who decided to follow his lusts instead of being obedient to the one whom his mother promised him to (God). While Samson knew some victories (usually brought on by his anger or his strength) his life is also a story of missed potential. He played with fire until the fire didn’t just singe him, it burnt him and consumed him.
- Ruth decided to be submissive to her mother-in-law by following her back to Jerusalem. As a Moabite woman Ruth could have stayed home and remarried one of her kind. But she chose to honor Naomi and in the process met Boaz, the man she eventually married. As a result she is in the lineage of Jesus. She had Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
- Then there was Samuel who was promised to God even before he was born, but made the choice to follow God at a young age. A few words: “Speak, your servant listens” changed the trajectory of his life. His entire life was spent as a prophet in service to God. He anointed Saul until that became a monumental mistake and then was led by God to anoint David as the next king of Israel.
- Saul was “head and shoulders about everyone else” in physical stature, but his obedience factor was bad. Really bad. He spent more time disobeying God and blaming others for it than he did in being a godly king and leader.
- Then there is David, the “man after God’s heart.” Perfect? Not by a long stretch. Who doesn’t know about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband ordered by David? But David was also a man who admitted his sin and sought forgiveness. (I’d like to ask you to read Psalm 51 at this point). David shows us humility, and repentance, and that there is hope for even the worst of us.
We all make decisions-some good, some bad. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 14:2 says, “Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.”
Choose wisely (cue up Indiana Jones in the last crusade when he finally handles the cup of Christ). 🙂
Choosing wisely . . . we’ve all messed up in the past, and the Bible is full of people like you mentioned here who make mistakes and fall short. We can certainly learn from them as we move forward.
Blessings, Bill!
And they say the Bible is out of date? Some things/mistakes never change. But choosing wisely is “wise.” Thanks Martha.
I wish I could say that we do not make the same mistakes over and over, that we learn from the Bible what not to do, and how to avoid the same mistakes. Everyday is a battle to make the right choices, letting down your guard even for a minute, will let the evil one slip in and give you an excuse to do what you want to do. Every thought and action, has to be a question, am I honoring God, by doing or saying this or not. Am I lifting up the kingdom, am I making my Father proud or am I sinning. There really is no grey area, we have to confront every thing we do. It is not simple, it not easy, to remain completely surrendered to God, and His ways, is a battle we have to fight every second of every day.
Tragically we do make the same mistakes over and over again. Nothing new under the sun. But completely surrendering is needed to battle wisely. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Gail.
I love the fact that the Bible includes the messy. Helps remind me that I don’t have to have it all together to still be used by God for His purpose. Learning from someone else’s mistakes tend to work out better than making my own.
I agree Ryan. I’m glad the messy is included also. Makes me realize God can redeem a life.