Choose

Once again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the LORD told him. [2 Samuel 24.1]

Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. [1 Chronicles 21.1]

Uh oh. We have opposing statements in the Bible. One says God caused David to take a census, and the other says Satan caused David to take a census. 

It simply cannot be both ways. 

While religious people are scurrying to uphold all their doctrines and theology, I am simply going to make a choice which one of these I believe is correct... and I choose the 1 Chronicles version.

I choose to believe the 1 Chronicles version of this story because it is more consistent with the nature and character of God as well as the character of Satan. I believe this choice is indeed mine to make. I believe God is watching over me intent to know what I choose to believe. I believe all of heaven is cheering me on to dig past the surface humanity of inspired writers attempting to document the amazing Story of God (yes, we know from the Bible that there are differing accounts of the same events throughout).

My choice to believe one way or the other is also consistent with the Bible! It is consistent with Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane!

He [Jesus] went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [Matthew 26.39]

Jesus had a choice to make: His will or God's will. He had to choose what He believed was right.

And, Jesus' decision in the Garden of Gethsemane is consistent with His own teaching in Matthew 6 about prayer:

May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. [Matthew 6.10b]

Jesus' decision in the Garden of Gethsemane also reflected what He believed about Himself as He declared throughout the Gospels, but nowhere as pointedly as in John 17.

Jesus taught us to declare God's will "as it is in heaven" over things on earth. Pride is the greatest obstacle to our complying. Pride would have prevented Jesus from fulfilling the most important thing God "owns" that He wished to give to humanity, Salvation (only Jesus could do this).

God is not going to force His will upon us. He will allow us to choose. In the Old Testament we have record of Joshua commanding the children of Israel to choose whom they would follow (and Joshua stated that as for him and his house, he would serve the LORD).

So, when we encounter earthly situations, we are faced with a choice: "as on earth" or "as in heaven." 

The way things are on earth is indeed compelling, isn't it? Weather, health, pain, finances... these are all earthly things we are exposed to, but, are we subject to them? That is where our choice comes into play - we must decide what we will believe - the circumstances or the Bible. (And, by "the Bible" I mean the consistent Story of the Bible, not the odd inconsistent instances like documented above). We must choose Whose side we are on and for Whom we serve.

I will go with heaven as did Jesus! It all hinges upon knowing God's will! God's will is revealed in the Bible - the Story of the Bible - the consistency of God's nature as revealed in the Bible - the consistency of God's nature as revealed in His Son!

Sure, Jesus' life on earth is an indictment to us. We should not make up stupid powerless doctrines just to mask our pride! Accept the indictment! If we fail, we fail! But let us not be found embracing our failure! Let us be found spending our lives striving to be Kingdom representatives just like our Lord and Savior Jesus!

I am in way over my head here... the implications of all I have said here are staggering. But I need to be staggered! I need to be so intent about God's will that I would sweat, as it were, drops of blood. I need to be a man of prayer. I need to see the people and situations around me as my calling to more and more prayer - prayer for God's will AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

God help us all who have looked into the realities of prayer.

Father, there is something here for me (for us) to consider - to meditate upon - to adopt as my life goal. Thank You for speaking to me today through the Bible. I know I must choose... You - Your will.