Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Life changing

My youngest grandson has been walking around saying, "I forget you mama." He means forgive, but he's a little out of whack on some words. The sentiment is a fine one, though.

See, we have a choice; actually we have many choices in life, but the one that matters most, some don't even recognize as a choice. We have the choice to be forgiven of our sins or to not be forgiven of our sins. Many would argue that we have no choice when it comes to sin, because we have that bred into us by Adam's grievous error. But we can be forgiven by a choice we make.

God points this out in Isaiah's first chapter:

He says, "18-20"Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out."

This is God's Message:
"If your sins are blood-red,
they'll be snow-white.
If they're red like crimson,
they'll be like wool.
If you'll willingly obey,
you'll feast like kings.
But if you're willful and stubborn,
you'll die like dogs."
That's right. God says so."

In other words, what's it gonna be? Will we do what is necessary? Or will we not? What will we do?

If we accept God's offer, he said to Zion, we would be changed. If not, we will get the back of his hand, as regretfully as he was about that. He concludes the first chapter with the line, "You'll end up like an oak tree with its leaves falling off, like an unwatered garden, withered and brown."

There was a time when that described me. I was thinking about that as I prepared a sermon series yesterday on defining moments in our lives, teaching through Genesis. The three defining moments in my life, I think, are the day I met my wife Mary because I had decided to return to Jackson after 10 months as sports editor in Reno, Nev., my decision to come to New Orleans as a journalist 19 years ago, and the day I surrendered to the Lord. Births of children and such are important, but without those three decisions, I wouldn't have had the helper I have so needed all these years, I wouldn't have reached a point where I decided I couldn't go on like I was and I wouldn't have the joy, peace, love and mission I have no without my Jesus.

That I get everlasting life out of the deal is beyond wonderful, but that I've found abundant living while I'm alive, kingdom living while I still can, is as they say down here lagniappe.

In Isaiah's second chapter, Isaiah got this message: There's a day coming when the mountain of God's House

Will be The Mountain— solid, towering over all mountains. All nations will river toward it, people from all over set out for it. They'll say, "Come, let's climb God's Mountain, go to the House of the God of Jacob. He'll show us the way he works so we can live the way we're made." Zion's the source of the revelation. God's Message comes from Jerusalem. He'll settle things fairly between nations. He'll make things right between many peoples. They'll turn their swords into shovels, their spears into hoes. No more will nation fight nation; they won't play war anymore. Come, family of Jacob, let's live in the light of God."

Choices. Do we accept that or do we not? These choices will change lives. Still.

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