Decision Time

Decision Time

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 KJV

There comes a time in everybody's life that you must take a decision; you have got to make up your mind who you want to follow: men or God. It cannot be both or neither; your life's pursuits and priorities will confirm the choice that you have made.

All of us have that decision to make. Joshua at a time told the Israelites the same thing: you have to choose whom you will serve. For him, the choice was non-negotiable; he had already made up his mind to serve the Lord. Paul here also says the same thing: you have to decide whose opinion counts or matters to you: God or man.

Man's opinions and standards are also evolving and never static. He changes his mind as frequently as he changes his clothes. The constant change in fashion standards, dress culture, attitudes to sex and sexuality all point to the fact that man is difficult to please because his principles are difficult to establish. He is constantly trying to adapt to the world around him, pursuing an invisible target and generally failing to make any impact. God, on the other hand, has laid down his standard right from creation, and through all generations, no matter how complex, he has refused to lower that standard for anyone, no matter how special s/he is.

Whatever God says is his desire now will not change, no matter how much we dislike his decision or rationalize our own action. God remains God through the years, through all our experiences and I  spite of our own actions. Just like Paul has established, if man is the focus and the defining factor, then I am not a servant of God. If I claim to be a child of God, I must answer to my father's dictates and commands. If I do not, then I am not. His time of favour is here.