Choices have consequences

 

Choices really matter. 

Yeah, I'm not talking about whether to have vanilla ice cream or strawberry. We're getting closer if we are talking about whether to eat ice cream or a couple of apple slices. (Grin)  All of life is shaped by the choices we make. Our choices have consequences.

All through our Bible, we see that our choices matter, because again and again we are exhorted to choose carefully. Moses told the people:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, (Deuteronomy 30:19, NASB)

Moses mentored Joshua, and Joshua was a great leader of the people. He was quite old when he told them:

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

Many years later, the prophet Elijah stood on a mountain top and said to the people:

Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. (I Kings 18:21)

David and Solomon both told us the end result of poor choices:

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)

There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

Our Savior put it this way:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

Our choices are perhaps the most important when hard times come. Why? Because when trouble comes, you find out pretty quickly what you truly believe. Our buddy Habakkuk is there right now. Maybe some of us are there right now, too. We are dealing with trials and we are finding out what we really believe.

If you remember, our little "bird's eye view" summary of Habakkuk was that it's a recording of a conversation. Habakkuk and God are talking.  In chapter one, they speak to each other. In chapter two, it's mostly God answering Habakkuk. And in chapter three, Habakkuk talks to God again.

I'd like to ask that we all re-read chapter two. We'll be reminded of Habakkuk's decision to wait and to watch for God's answer. 

This week we will study God's response.