The Illogical Choice

"'Tell all the people,

"This is what the LORD says:

Take your choice of life or death!

Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die 

from war, famine, or disease,

but those who go out and 

surrender to the Babylonians will live.

Their reward will be life!"'"

Jeremiah 21:8-9 NLT

Doesn't it seem obvious to choose life?  In order to preserve my life, I take the path of least resistance, the one that is safe, the easier.  But God doesn't always lead that way.  Therefore, I must heed His warnings and pay attention even if it goes against my self-preserving instincts.  For He has His own purposes.

Test.  There is much hope for me as one who is saved by grace through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  I have a priceless inheritance through Christ that can never be tarnished because it is held for me in heaven.  When this life is over I can expect an even better one in my Father's mansion, a special place prepared just for me by my Lord and Savior (John 14:2).  The thought of the good things God has in store for me is what often bolsters my faith during hard times.

And it is these difficulties that prove my faith as real, that purify it and makes it even stronger as I continue to love Jesus even though I don't see Him.  As I follow my good Shepherd even though He leads me into the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).  As I trust Him enough to do the hard things He has set before me.  And my reward for believing Him at His word, for sticking with Him even when every fiber of my being wants to turn away, for treasuring Jesus more than my very life?  The salvation of my soul (1 Peter 1:3-9, Romans 6:22)!

Trusting Jesus means I'll often be asked to do the illogical as He tests my faith to prove it's authenticity.

Submission.  It goes against my nature to surrender to an enemy.  I want to fight, dig in, preserve my life, my home, my family.  If I were living in ancient Jerusalem, I would be terrified to give myself and my family over to an invading conqueror, giving up control and putting my life and the lives of those I love into the hands of a foreign army.  I would wonder, what will they do with us?  How will they treat us?  What will happen to my home?  Will I ever see it again?  

If I loved God enough to trust Him with my life, however, I would do as He said, surrendering to the enemy and believing that it would turn out as He promised (Jeremiah 21:9).  That things would go better for me in their custody than if I stayed at home where I wanted to be.  Doesn't God do the same today, sending me into situations I would never willingly choose for myself?  Allowing disease to ravage my body?  Permitting heartache to come my way?  I can either resist it, fighting against what God is up to, or I can submit to His sovereign plan, believing His Word that my love for Him will guarantee that it's all for my good (Romans 8:28).

Trusting Jesus means I'll often face the illogical choice, giving me the opportunity to submit to His sovereign plan.

Treasure.  It comes down to my value system.  Do I cherish my life, my health, my body, my stuff, my family the most?  Or is Jesus my greatest treasure?  The news is filled with the horrible choice several college students at Umpqua Community College recently faced:  Life or Jesus.  The victims were reportedly asked if they were Christians, and if they responded in the affirmative, they were shot in the head.  In order to make such a bold pronouncement of faith while staring down the barrel of a gun, one would have to adhere to a kingdom value system in which they loved Jesus more than their very lives.

What do I treasure most of all?  Jesus warned it would be difficult to follow Him.  He said if I want to be His disciple I can't look at things from a human point of view, but from God's.  "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it"  (Matthew 16:24).  What good does it do me to gain any advantage I think I have by trying to preserve this temporary life if I lose my very soul for all of eternity?  No, it's much better to gain eternal life by giving it all to Jesus.

Trusting Jesus means I'll be faced with an illogical choice that will reveal what I treasure most.

From the outside looking in, I would appear as a fool.  But from a godly perspective, I am wise to trust Jesus enough to make the irrational decision in obedience to Him.  As I do, my faith is being tested, I'm given the opportunity to submit to God's plan, and I learn what it is I value most.  While I may make what seems to be the illogical choice, as a disciple of Christ, it is the only one that leads to life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to do as He says even though it seems a foolish step to take.

When do I fail to surrender to God's plan for my life because I am afraid to give up control?

What do I treasure more than Jesus?  Would I be willing to give it up if faced with that choice?