Which Do You Choose?

"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;" (Deuteronomy 30:15). 

"that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

     There was a game that came on television many years ago called, "Let's Make a Deal". The object of this game was simple. The person won a gift that was theirs to keep if they wanted it. As the game went on, the person was given more choices. They could still keep the gift they won, or they could exchange it for something they could not see. It was often something behind a curtain, behind a door or in a box. They had to decide if they wanted to exchange their gift before they could see what was hidden. If they chose to exchange their gift, they had to give it back, then wait and see what was behind the curtain, the door or in the box. Sometimes, the hidden gift was a wonderful gift. It could be a car, a vacation trip, a boat, an expensive piece of jewelry, furniture or money. However, it could also be a bag or garbage, pretend money, pictures of prizes, or sometimes nothing at all. They never knew what was at stake until they gave up their prize.  It was a chance they were taking every time, and regretted that decision greatly.

      God has given us the best gift there could ever be. He gave us His love and sent His only Son, Jesus to die for our sins. There is nothing better to receive than His forgiveness for our sins and eternal life through His blood. Yet, how many people every day want to trade in this gift for something else, even though they do not know what they are getting. They walk away from Him and pursue a life of sin thinking they have made the best decision. Finally, when they face reality, they find out, they let go of the best gift ever! 

       Praise God it doesn't have to end there! At the end of the show, the person could take one last chance to trade their gift in for another hidden gift behind the door. They had to make another choice to either keep what they had won, take another chance and trade.  God gives us chances to trade our sorrows for joy, trade or worry for peace, trade our sins for salvation and to trade our sickness for healing. Why carry these around when you don't have to? 

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:3) 

      Make the choice today to hold on to God and let go of all the things the world has to offer. Choose life. Choose the Lord. It's the best decision you will ever make.