Thank You for the gift of a good day, Father. It was full but I pray through it all that we stopped and gave Your credit where credit was due. Thank You for safe travels, for positive interaction with others, for family and other loved ones are all a blessing from You.

John 12:44-50 (<<click here to read the passage)

Decisions, decisions. We have to make a lot of them. Sometimes they’re easy – maybe we have a favorite menu item that we get every time we go to that one restaurant. Or maybe we rotate between two or three things. Then there are other times, especially when we go to someplace new, that it takes us forever to decide what we want!

Recently I came across a menu for kids that were being less than cooperative in deciding what they wanted to eat. When I Googled it, several menus came up. Here is a list of what to order from a few different restaurants for several answers kids might come up with.

I Don’t Know
hot hog with fries / triple layer PB&J / breaded chicken tender with fries

I Don’t Care
grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich / macaroni & cheese

I’m Not Hungry
grilled cheese with fries / hamburger or cheeseburger with fries

I Don’t Want That
fish stick with fries / 3 mini pigs in a blanket

Like I said sometimes decisions are easy and at other times they are a bit more of a challenge. But when it comes to where we chose to spend eternity, there are only two choices…there is no third option…there is no middle ground. We may not be happy that that is the case…but it is the case.

Our kids – and ourselves, as well – may be picky here on a variety of platforms, but when it comes to our eternal choices…we can’t be picky. We can’t demand other options from which to choose.

In the middle portion of this passage from John 12, Jesus says,

I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. v47-48

When Jesus came the first time around, He came as our Savior. When Jesus returns, He will come as Judge.

So, whether we like it or not we must decide.

Once again, my study Bible* shares some potent words,

The purpose of Jesus’ first mission on earth was not to judge people, but to show them the way to find salvation and eternal life. When he comes again, one of his main purposes will be to judge people for how they lived on earth. Christ’s words that we would not accept and obey will condemn us. On the day of judgment, those who accepted Jesus and lived his way will be raised to eternal life, and those who rejected Jesus and lived any way they pleased will face eternal punishment. Decide now which side you’ll be on, for the consequences of your decision last forever.

And be well aware, there will be no “I Don’t Knows”, “I Don’t Cares”, or “I Don’t Want Thats” allowed. Our decisions will have been made and that…will be that.

*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation

Aug 25th, 2021, Wed, 8:24 pm