It’s All About Choice
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. (Mk 3:13-19)
It always amazed me, when I was young, to hear the story of the call of the apostles. Being young and impressionable, I would think, over and over again, about how Jesus, the all-powerful God, could possibly pick someone who would betray Him.
It was not until I was much older that the whole concept of free will and choice became clearer to me.
In many senses, as I got a little older, I began to see two people who betrayed Jesus. After all, Peter denied Jesus not just once but three times on the evening of His arrest. How could he be any better than Judas, who handed Jesus over?
Peter felt bad for what he did. Not only did he feel bad; but, he returned to the Lord and was faithful to Him to his end.
Judas, on the other hand, felt bad about what he had done but he could not go to the Lord. He would not seek out the Lord or accept any help from the Lord. Instead, he despaired and hung himself on a tree.
The choices we make often lead us to sin.
Sin separates us from the Lord.
But, we have the opportunity to return to Him and to try again; that is, if we do not despair and cut ourselves off from Him as Judas did.
What choice will you make today?
FAITH ACTION: Have choices led you away from God? Are you frightened to go back to Him? In quiet prayer this day, ask Him to help you and give you His peace.