One of the toughest things for my family is figuring out where to eat.  We all have different tastes and likes/dislikes.  And then when you add into the equation that sometimes I truly believe my kids will say no to a restaurant only because their sibling likes, it seems as though our easiest choice as a family is to go home and eat cereal.

And I’m ok with that many times!

When we cannot choose, that choice has consequences and affects where it is that we eat that day.  I was thinking about that notion of choices when I read today’s passage, one that we all know so very well.  Listen to John 3: 17-19:

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

It’s so easy for to (rightly) focus on John 3:16, perhaps the most important verse in the Bible.  But for me, I always love what comes after.  God did not send His into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world.

And judgement comes because people love darkness rather than light. God loves everyone. Seriously, He does.  There is not a person that has ever been created that He doesn’t love. And He desires that we all know Him, love Him, serve Him. That’s truly His desire for us.

But here’s the thing.  He also lets us choose.  Every day.  He lets us choose.  Choose to serve, choose to reject.  Choose to follow.  Choose to turn away.

Choose.

And the choices have consequences.  God want you to know and love Him.  But He will not force you.  He wants you to be faithful.  He wants to give you life.

He wants to give you grace.

He wants to give you Himself through the gift of His Son.

He wants you to have it.

But we have to choose.  Choose to say yes.  Choose to accept.  Choose to follow.

Choose.  Today.

So, life lay before us.  What will choose?  God loves us.  May we choose to live in the power of His grace today, and each day.

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