Choose Life

This passage convinced me long ago that God has a 'permissive will'.

"Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, NOR DID IT COME INTO MY MIND" - Jeremiah 19:4-5 ESV

God created a 'sandbox' for us to play in. We can do all sorts of things... helpful and harmful.

God also has a perfect will. 

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live," - Deuteronomy 30:19 ESV

His perfect will is both a path winding through this sandbox that can be taken by groups and individuals and certain events that God has decreed. History is like a river. It is going to flow into the ocean at a certain place and time.

This leads me to conclude that i want to 'choose life and live' but if i or others don't it will not affect the overall outcome.

"Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 ESV

Jesus is the embodiment of God's perfect will. He is the red thread that run through history. He is why humanity has hope. I want to be as close to that thread as possible. Trusting in Him not imitating Him. Believing, deciding, rebounding, pointing to Him and talking about Him. That is the way to live and to get back on track when we have wondered off to play in other parts of the sandbox.

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