Every day (every second of the day) we are faced with decisions to make. "Will I hit the snooze button or get up the first time? Will I have eggs or cereal for breakfast? Will I wear my blue shirt or the white one? Will I work out or stay in bed? Will I go to worship services this Sunday or to a sporting event?" Get the picture?
One of the greatest blessings God has given us is the ability to choose. God has given humans freedom to make choices (right or wrong). It's a way that God shows He loves us. Granted, not every decision we make is right and pleasing to God but He still loves us.
I imagine it's sort of like parenting. Every parent wants their child(ren) to love them, but no parent can force that love. Otherwise it's not love. So, as parents we show our kids what love looks like by providing for them, encouraging them, mentoring and discipling them, supporting them - even correcting them when they make poor choices. This is all because we love them and want the best for them. Granted it would be much easier and more efficient to just tell them everything to think, feel and do but God didn't create them (or any of us ) that way.
Real love cannot be forced. Even though I'm bigger and have more authority, I cannot force my kids to love me. I don't want that kind of love from them - where they are coerced out of fear. I want them to choose to love me because they know I first love them.
We are free agents to respond to God's love. I don't believe God is a control freak but He does give us guidance to help with our choices. Look at Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) 19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!
God encourages us to choose life but He still leaves it up to us to actually "choose" it. After all God has done for us (refer to the 10 Blessings in Ephesians 1:3-14) why wouldn't we choose life?
Not every decision children make is pleasing to parents. It may even deeply hurt the parents, but the kids will still be loved - because real love should not be based on what someone does or doesn't do! It's based on who they are as your own flesh and blood. The same is true of God's kids. Because we are God's adopted children, He loves us no matter what. Yes, it hurts God when we make poor choices, but He still loves us because we are His own!
Praise be to God our Father.
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