Multiple Choice
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:8-9 (NRSV)
We are made in the image of God to be in right and harmonious relationship with Love and all creation. And we’ve also received from God the gift of free will. Which is to say, we have choices. So many choices:
Right or wrong, left or right, caf or decaf. Take care of that unpleasant task now or put it off until later. Be kind or not, care about others or focus only on ourselves and those closest to us. Learn the ugly truth of racism or refuse to engage it. Respect people for who they are or reject everyone who doesn’t fit a certain mold. Go deep or stay on the uncomplicated, safe surface of things.
You get the idea.
Some choices are easily reversed, while others start us down a long highway with few exits. Some choices we must make and remake again and again.
What will you choose today? To live with God or try to be God? To serve the one true God or to make gods of the things of this world? Every day, the choice is ours.
Prayer
Give us the wisdom, strength, and courage to choose well—to trust your grace more than the attraction of of stuff, to pursue understanding instead of rejection, life over death, peace over war, the care of creation over exploitation, and community over separation.
About the AuthorVicki Kemper is the Pastor of First Congregational, UCC, of Amherst, Massachusetts.