Free Will

Freewill.  It's a funny word.  God gave us free will.  He gave us the choice to choose Him or to not choose Him.  What happens when we don't?  Have you ever read the story of the prodigal son?  The story goes like this, or at least the version in my head goes like this.  

There's this guy, he has the most amazing and loving father.  He has everything, the father loves him and provides for him.  Then this guy says to his dad, hey dad, can you give me my share of my inheritance after you die?  I want it now.  So the dad says, okay fine, and gives his son that he loves oh so much all the money that he is entitled.  The son then leaves his amazing and good life and squanders all his money on "living it up."  He thinks he's having a good time, he makes his own choices, is by himself, and thinks that he's having the time of his life.  Then he runs out of money, has to work for more, and ends up eating in a pig sty with the pigs.  The guy realizes that he had it all when he was with his father.  He realizes his father loved him so much and he feels bad for treating his father so bad.  So the son walks the walk of shame and humbles himself and comes home to his father who, instead of being all mad, welcomes him with loving arms.  

That's the jist of the story.  I left out a lot about how the guy has a brother who stays with the father and stuff.  But you read it yourself. The Prodigal Son (NLT)

In case no one understood this story, you are the prodigal son, and the loving father is God.  Sometimes we make mistakes.  Sometimes we choose to stray from God and His will and what he wants in our life.  We have to be able to humble ourselves before the Lord, admit our mistakes and submit to His will for our lives. God gave us free will.  We can either choose God, or choose ourselves.  Choosing ourselves will lead to eating with the pigs, choosing God leads to eternal life.

If Jesus comes back to take all his followers to Heaven, ask yourself today, right now, are you playing the prodigal son?  Are you submitting to God's will or are you following your own selfish wants or needs.  How are you going to explain to God what your actions are and why you chose yourself over him?  How?

Every morning pray that you will do God's will in the following day.  Every morning ask for God's strength and reminders of God's love.  If you choose God, the rest of your life will fall into place.  If you choose yourself, the rest of your life will crumble.  Like my sister says, it all begins and ends with God.  Choose God.  And don't think you have all the time in the world to do so, because you don't.