“One
of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are
you not the Christ? Save yourself and
us”. But the other answered, and
rebuking him said, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence
of condemnation” (Luke 23:39-40).
Hey gang, since writing the first Morning Message, I have
referred to the importance of making
choices many times. God created into
us a free will - with the choice of where we will spend eternity. In my tenure, as exulted Eagle of the Village,
I spoke many times to groups about the work that we were priviledged to do. I
always asked God to give me something new and special to share with each
group.
On one accession I stopped by a Burger King for a hamburger
and noticed a Star War advertisement on the wall that said: “Your choices
determine your destiny”. After getting
back on the road =I heard that still, but huge, voice whispered in
my ear, “ The saying was not complete. It
should read, “Your Values Determine Your Choices which in turn Determines your Destination”. Not a bad saying to hang on your bathroom
mirror.
The absolute bottom line of choices is that God gives
eternal choices which have eternal consequences.
Much has been said about the penitent thief, and it
certainly warrants our admiration. But
while we rejoice at the thief who changed, dare we forget the one who
didn’t? What about him, Jesus? Wouldn’t a personal invitation have been
appropriate? Wouldn’t a word of
persuasion be timely?
Did not the shepherd leave the ninety and nine to pursue the
one lost sheep? Did the housewife not
sweep the floor until she found the lost coin?
Yes, the shepherd did, and the housewife did, but the father of the
prodigal did nothing.
The sheep was lost innocently. The coin was lost irresponsibly, and the
prodigal son left intentionally. The
father gave him the choice. Jesus gave
both criminals the same opportunity!
There are times when God sends thunder to stir us. There are times when He sends blessings to
lure us. But then there are times when God
sends nothing but silence, as He honors us with the freedom to choose where we
will spend eternity.
I wish I could say all of my choices were right on and
brought glory and honor to God, but that would be one of greater falsehoods of
all time. I look back over my life and
say, “What if?” What if I could make up for some of those bad decisions? And praise God, I can and I did! One good choice for eternity offsets a
thousand bad ones on earth.
So, my young friends, Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount gave
us a choice that held within it the key to where we will spend eternity: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all
these things will be added unto you”. (Matt.
6:33).
Blessings,
Gramps
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