Choose life. I was praying about putting a non-offensive bumper sticker on my car that would encourage people to contemplate being pro-life (in a politically correct society the only way to reach people is to pray about how not to offend them); in a way that people would actually read, think about, and receive the words (there are so many vehicles on the road and so many not-so-good bumper stickers – it’s incredibly amazing how that offense in a politically correct society is perfectly acceptable). Every word we choose to speak either releases life into a situation (or person) or it releases death (sticks and stones can hurt our bones and words DO hurt us). We make the choice to breath life into the atmosphere or death by the very choice of words we allow to release from our lips (or our bumper stickers). His answer to my prayer: “Choose life.”

Two simple words containing significant power and implications. Choose life…Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). The choice is simple…either we choose to believe His words and choose life through Jesus Christ, or we take our chances when our time on this earth is done that what He said wasn’t true, and deal with the results either way at that time. Man was created to worship and fellowship with God. From the onset, God gave man the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him…God gave man a free will because no one wants to force someone else into a love relationship…it’s only true love and intimacy when it’s chosen by both parties involved. God, the Creator of the universe, has chosen to love us and to reconcile us unto Himself through the choice of His Son to become a blood sacrifice for all; to be in intimate relationship with Him. We either choose Him or reject Him…the choice is ours.

Choose life…either we choose to vote in candidates who are advocates for the sanctity of human life or we choose to vote for those candidates who are not. There is no middle ground. The choice is up to us…either we choose actively with our vote to be a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves or we choose to take our chances that the bloodshed of millions of innocent lives is of no consequence and deal with the results when we are forced to (those results and consequences are becoming more evident with each passing day for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, and they will soon be made clear to all, regardless of whether they choose to see or hear or not).

Choose life. Two very simple words where example after example of revelatory meaning could be given. The 2008 election has been about choosing life…not choosing our pocket books or our economy or our politically correct freedoms. It’s time for the Church to arise (Psalm 57:8). If we believe we are saved and are going to Heaven once we leave this life, then we need to choose life with every aspect of the blessing that comes with that declaration through faith. No longer can we think we can do what we want, say what we want, live for ourselves, and still be able to reap the blessing that comes through Jesus on both sides of this life. Did not Jesus say, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23). If He’s going to cast away those who did all of those things in His name thinking they were ministering on His behalf, how much more will He cast away those who only lived for themselves; in rebellion, in mockery, in selfishness – thinking they had a free ticket to Heaven and could do whatever they wanted because they were baptized, went to church and took communion but never applied His Kingdom ways to any other areas of their lives? His message has always been and always will be about love. His love is selfless and when we truly know Him our love will be selfless and it will impact our choices.

Choose life…love God and love others with our whole hearts, souls, minds and strength. Choose life with our words. Choose life with our actions. Choose life with our money. Choose life with our families. Choose life with our relationships involving people we know and those we don’t know. Choose life with our vote. Choose life. The choice is simple but the choice is clear. Which choice are we going to make? Are we willing to chance that the Words of Jesus are words that contain a message relevant only for His time on earth? Are we willing to chance that He wasn’t who He said He was? Are we willing to chance that man has arrived at the place of being higher than the Most High God and that he alone can determine what truth is and what it isn’t; what life is and what it isn’t? Are we willing to risk eternity for the short span of life we’ve been given to walk this earth?

Why wouldn’t we choose to spend every waking moment in intimate relationship with our Creator, fulfilling and walking out the call and destiny we were created for on behalf of His Kingdom and not on behalf of ourselves? Why wouldn’t we choose to live wholeheartedly and passionately about Someone who chose us; so much so that He suffered separation from His Heavenly Father and His Heavenly home, as well as excruciatingly painful rejection, persecution and death from the very people He came to choose. Why wouldn’t we choose Him instead of all the others choices we make that never lead to what we’re looking for? Why wouldn’t we choose to believe that He is the only way, the only truth and the only life?

It’s time to choose Him. It’s time to choose the life He came to give us in fullness. It’s time to choose to live for the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s time to choose life now…on behalf of ourselves and on behalf of those that cannot speak for themselves…it’s time, because whether we are aware of it or not, our time to choose is running out. Jesus said we would know the season, the time, and the days…they have been prophesied for years, but they are nearing quickly. This is for another blog…read the book of Revelation…the words it contains are not mere words…they are living words of truth and life that provide needed revelation as we increasingly move toward their unfolding in the times we are living in.

Choose life. Jesus came to offer life for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Praise God for those who voted for life. It’s time for a Kingdom people to seek the Lord’s strategies on where we go from here to best manifest His life in this nation, and how to be a new voice for those who cannot choose life for themselves. Choose life…two simple words… eternally significant.