Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
"See, the LORD your God has given the land to you; go up, take possession, as
the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you; do not fear or be dismayed."
The flip side of the coin would suggest that God does not make us do anything either. God
invites and encourages, but does not force us to act in any particular way. If God made us do
good works or made us choose the proper choice, what credit would that be to us? We would
have exercised no choice at all. It is always a matter of choice, just as it was a matter of choice
for those persons sitting on the banks of the Jordan River, anticipating the great life in the
Promised Land, but the choice would have to be theirs.
Once a young, eager seminary graduate said: "There are two sides to every question." "Yep,"
said one of the older professors, "and there are two sides to fly paper, but it makes a difference
to the fly which side it chooses." Moses was telling folks how to get to the Promised Land. It's a
matter of choice and to guide us in our choices he offers the five verbs of life. If we attempt to
follow those five verbs, Loving the Lord, Walking in his way, Keeping the Commandments,
Obeying his voice, and Cleaving to God, we will be able to feel good about the choices we have
made.
(Deuteronomy 1.21
NRSV)
The phrase, "The Devil made me do it," makes for good comedy, but poor theology, in my
judgment. The Devil does not make us do anything. We are assured the Devil is powerless
against a faithful person. You and I are talked or enticed into only what we want to be talked or
enticed into.
Dear God, may you and your love be found in the decisions I make today. Amen.
