Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Parenting can be frustrating. Sometimes two children raised in the same family turn out very different in character. An example of this is found in this story : “You’ve heard the infamous name of John Wilkes Booth. He assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. But have you heard about Edwin Booth, John’s eldest brother? Edwin, a well-known actor, was waiting at a Jersey City train station when he saw someone slip and fall off the platform. Edwin quickly grabbed the man’s collar and pulled him to safety—rescuing him from serious injury or death. Who was the man he saved? Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, a soldier in the Civil War. How ironic that the man who saved Lincoln’s son had a brother who would soon kill the president. One saved a life; one took a life. One chose life; the other chose death.” (Our Daily Bread).
While the debate about nature and nurture goes on and on the sad truth is that many are simply looking for something or someone to blame for their bad behavior. What we need to remember is that we each are responsible for our own decisions. Our conduct is the result of choices we make, and as such we are accountable to God for it.
God has set before us “life and good, and death and evil” (vs. 15). And He commanded us “to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee..”(vs. 16). Then He extends a warning to those who choose to do otherwise, “But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;” (vs. 17). The result of that is this- “ye shall surely perish” (vs. 18). Then comes the challenge – “therefore choose life” (vs. 19).
Even so, you have a choice to make. You can receive Christ as your Lord and Savior and receive eternal life, or you can reject Him and die in your sins – forever separated from God. The correct choice is clear! – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
