This. The glorious view I got to start the day with today.
The rest of the family was fast asleep so I snuck out to sit and watch and hear and smell and inhale the oceans of Hawaii first thing, first morn here.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Like every other day. He ordained and allowed and knew All the happenings of this day and every day, since a thousand, a million, a trillion years ago. Since before the beginning of time as we know it.
As I thanked God for letting me BE, and even more, be right here, right now on this magnificent puzzle piece of His creation, the thought suddenly dawned on me:
It’s a choice to believe that or not.
It’s a choice to acknowledge that it’s God who gives us breath and life and each new day. It’s a choice to believe we were designed and known and loved long before we took our first breath on earth. It’s a choice to believe in God and a choice not to. He always gives us the choice. Always.
He never intended or wants for us to be mindless robots or slaves. Never. He created children, to love and love on. Of course, He hopes we’ll recognize His love and want to return it. But freely and happily, not forcedly. As we hope with our own kids.
My thoughts turned to the very first choice God offered us. The choice given our first ancestors, Adam and Eve. The choice to trust that He loves them beyond comprehension, that He desires and knows and has planned the best for them, that He gives them more than they need. Or the choice to go their own way, seek to attain godship themselves, call their own shots. He gave them the opportunity to choose for themselves. As He does with us.
And when Adam and Eve chose to doubt God’s intentions and love, to listen instead to the sneaky serpent, whose aim is ever to make us doubt God — it was fundamentally a choice for skepticism over belief, self-seeking over submission, pride over humility. It was at that moment we inherited a propensity for skepticism, disbelief, disconnect, self, self and more self. We inherited that instead of faith, optimism, trust, connection, harmony – both with God and others. Oh, had we chosen differently.
So. I get it. Everyone has the freedom to choose, as they should. (That’s what God wanted too.)
And not everyone chooses as I do. I respect that.
I also know that I myself don’t have the strength of mind, will, character or consistency to believe what I believe every day, in every situation, in every mood. But God gives me faith and strength because He knows my heart and my heart’s choice is to be open to Him. Even when the opening’s the teeniest square millimeter of space. It is enough.
All I know is I’ve never felt freer, safer, and more fulfilled than since God’s perfect love for me overpowered the power of doubt and unbelief in me.
And it just feels wrong – selfish and stingy – not to share this with you when I know there’s an infinite supply of His love for the taking. And sharing.
Be blessed, friends. For this is the day that Someone has made. For you and for me. Today we live.
