DECISIONS
The world just became a safer place. My oldest grandson graduated from the police academy last night. Our country right now, is not a safe place. But this young man just made a huge decision for the career he wants to follow. He is such a special, caring, respectful person. He will do good in this profession. As a nana, it is a scary thing to think of her grandson out there in the world meeting angry-sinful people. I am sure he will see things that he never thought he would see. But he will help to make this country better. He made the decision to serve others.
Thinking back on my life, I can think of many decisions I made that were not good. I can also think of decisions I made that were for the good. Have you ever really thought about that? I made the decision when I was just a baby of seventeen to marry my husband. I had no idea of what the future held for my husband and I. Would I have made the same decision, even knowing what was in our future? Yes, I can truthfully say! I am sure some of the decisions I made caused heartache at times but also joy. Besides, simply said, if I had not made that decision to marry, my grandson would not be here to become a police officer.
There are some decisions that turn our lives into a mess. Think about the alcoholic who takes that first drink and then the next and the next. Those choices could lead to losing a job, family, even their lives. What about on that day last month, when the thousands of people took their anger to a volatile decision to try to take siege of the capitol building. Their actions caused rioting, jail time and even death. There are some decisions we cannot come back from. Or can we?
There is a song by Casting Crowns called “Start Right Here.” The song says that we can make a difference if we will make the decision to start right now to make this world a better place by us just being in it and taking action. Some of the words are: “We’re the people who are called by His name. If we’ll surrender all our pride and turn from our ways, He will hear from heaven and forgive our sin……It’s got to start right here It’s got to start now.” We as Christian men and women, need to make a decision, right now, to make the world we live in, a better place for our future generations, by the decisions we make right now! If some of your decisions, make you feel that you can not come back from them or be forgiven, think again. The Bible is full of forgiveness for you!
Do the words of that song make you think of something you have heard before? 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” In the Old Testament and the New Testament, God tells us that we need to make better decisions. Over and over again, He took care of the Israelites even after they had sinned and once again, turned back to Him. God wants us to make better decisions for our well being physically and spiritually.
My mother’s favorite verses in the Bible are Ephesians 3:20-21. “Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” God can use us to do great things. He works His power in and through us when we make the right decisions. It takes action to be forgiven and our land healed. My mother always used to say when she heard the words, ‘somebody will do it’, that somebody needs to be us. We need to stand up and proclaim the love of God and help others see, by our lights, that the only true decision is turning our lives over to God and following the purpose God has created us.
But you are saying, I have done so many wrong-sinful things that surely God could not ever forgive me. Bad decisions. God sent Jesus to save the sinner. Jesus was seen time and time again with sinful people talking to them and showing His love. God can do amazing things if we just make the decision to become a follower of His. No matter what we are doing or have done, He is always ready to take us into His arms and help us heal. I know now that all those negative decisions-all those positive decisions have led up to me writing two books and this blog. I have a story to tell that can help heal someone else’s hurts by opening up about what I have gone through.
The decisions we make can be for God’s glory or can lead us down a path of darkness. When you have a big or little decision to make, pray that God will help you to make the right one. We need to make decisions based on serving others, not serving ourselves. When we do that, we are making the right decisions!
I will pray for my grandson every day that the good Lord will look over him and help him to be safe and to make right decisions. Let’s start making the right decisions from today-start right now. God is waiting with open arms. Decisions. What decisions are you making today?
Till next time. Keela
(The picture at the first of this blog is my grandson and my son. Thank you, God, for both of them!)