A Choice to Make We know that our Saviour, Jesus Christ, “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15) Jesus went through everything we do, but because He was God, He was perfect. Jesus understands all our struggles and trials that come our way in life. If we are God’s children, He is right beside us waiting to give victory and rejoicing when we overcome. First of all, we all come to a point in life that we have to decide if we are going to surrender and give up our heart and ways to follow God or not. Later in life, when we have to surrender something to the Lord, it sometimes is a difficult thing to do. There are all kinds of things that God can bring into our lives. It could be our plans, goals, or desires. Maybe it just is submitting to our parents in something, which is submitting to the Lord. For instance, let's say you think you are going to have some free time and read a good book. All of a sudden, Mom wants you to go and hoe the corn in the hot sun, knowing that afterwards you will be so sweaty and your back will ache. The struggle is on. You have a choice to make. Either you are going to decide that yes, you will submit, or no, you want your way, and you rebel. Sometimes outwardly you do submit, but inwardly you are just wrestling like everything. Other times God could just show you something, and you will need to talk to the Lord about it. What would happen if we always got or did what we want? At first it would feel pretty good, but it would not last long. Soon we would be feeling very unhappy, unthankful, and selfish. We would not learn what it means to trust God to direct our paths, and to respect and obey our parents. We would miss out on the blessing of “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” (Acts 20:35) for we would always be expecting and insisting more and more of our own way. Let us look now, at our perfect example, Jesus, and what He did in one circumstance. Before they led Jesus away to the high priest and crucified Him, Jesus went to Gethsemane to pray. Jesus started to become sorrowful and very heavy. And Jesus started to pray, “saying, ‘Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.’ And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44) We know that Jesus did submit Himself and was carried away. When Jesus was falsely accused, He didn’t answer anything. Jesus went through all that pain and “then He said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’” (Luke 23:34) Jesus went through all this so that we could be set free from our sins and have hope. If Jesus went through all this because of His love for us, shouldn’t we in return give Him everything? We owe Him our whole life. We are nothing. Only by His mercy and grace can He use us. Whatever the situation we may find ourselves in, we need to constantly deny our flesh and say with our whole heart, “May Your will be done and not mine.” God’s grace is sufficient, and He will build character in us if we surrender and submit to Him. Next time we have a choice to make, are we going to surrender or not? Let us remember what Jesus did for us. -Elizabeth Zellers YWSH Main Page