The Power of Choice- ABORTION

 

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you

life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

God has given each one of us a great power - it is the power of choice. Each choice that we make sets into motion a ripple effect. Each decision that we make leads us down a pathway that brings about life or brings about death. 

The life and death may at times will be physical. The choice to step in from of a train will bring about the instant result of death.  The choice to do a drug may bring about the slow result of death. 

The life and death at times will be relational. The choice to neglect your marriage will bring about the death of  marriage. The choice to neglect friendships will bring about the death of community. 

The life and death at times will be spiritual. The choice to disregard your times with the Lord will result in death of your faith. The choice to discount church attendance will bring about death in your foundation and purpose.

With every choice that we make there will be a subsequent and equal effect. It is the power of choice. God has granted man the freedom of choice and the pleasure of living under its consequence. 

This week we marked the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision to legalize the killing of unborn babies in the United States. It is a decision that has led to great, heart-breaking consequence. A ripple effect of death. 1.2 million babies are aborted every year in the United States. Over 50 million aborted since the choice that was made by our nation to legalize murder of the innocent. 

Do we have the "right to choose"-  absolutely, but at what consequence? What is the ripple effect caused by our choice? I heard someone say this past week, "Abortion is necessary, can you imagine if we had 50 million more mouths to feed in this country?" 

As a pastor I am apolitical. I do not represent a party. I do not publicly support a party. I do not ride an elephant or a donkey. Our church does not represent one party, but we welcome and have both democrat and republican. Abortion is not a political issue, but a moral issue. I will proudly stand up and say I am for the rights of the innocent child. 

We may not be able to change the law of the land, but we can change the hearts and minds of the people. We can extend love and help to the mother faced with the choice. We can love the broken, hurting , and confused. We can make a choice that will lead to a ripple effect. Maybe that ripple effect will save a baby or two!

-Old Sacramento Shooting-

January 3. 2013

How involved is God? As a pastor, who has studied and enjoys theology, my brain often entertains these types of questions. I absolutely believe in the existence of God, but how involved is God in the everyday of our lives? Does God chart out our every breathe and every move or did God set in motion this world in which we live and leave us to our own demise? There are scriptures that seem to support either argument. So where do I stand on the issue - I am glad you asked!

This past Monday Shawna and I decided it was time to buy Elsie a Big Girl bed. We got on Craigslist and found the perfect bed in West Sacramento at the perfect price. I got in my car and drove to West Sacramento to pick up this bed. Monday was New Year's Eve and traditionally we would be going to Old Sacramento for the 9pm fireworks show with our kids. Last year the traffic getting out of the garage that we always park in was horrible. While in West Sacramento I had a brilliant idea. Let's park on this side of the river and walk across the bridge into Old Sac thus missing all the traffic. As we drove to Old Sac that night Shawna and I debated the idea and as we begin to exit into Old Sac decided to pull back onto the freeway and try parking in West Sac. Follow me here! Every year we park in the same garage. The walk from the fireworks to this garage takes us right down the street where the New Year's Eve shooting took place.

If you have not followed the story a man in a bar begin shooting. He killed two people and wounded two people before he too was shot. His shooting rampage reportedly took him from the bar to randomly shooting down the street. The very street we would have traditionally been walking down.
Now, back to our question. How involved is God in the everyday of our lives? A chain of events throughout my day led me to park in a new place avoiding a deranged shooter. If we would not have decided to buy a bed earlier that day, who knows what the outcome would have been. We probably wouldn't have been shot, but we would have been in the middle of the chaos and confusion.

Here is what I believe:

1) God does not control our every decision and our every move. We are free to make our own decisions and live with the consequences of our decisions. To a great extent God did set this world in motion and is not controlling each weather pattern, marriage, financial decision, and accident. (Matthew 5:45)

2) God is involved as we invite him to be. Did God speak to me and tell me to park in a different place? NO. Did God have his hand in my parking in a different place? ABSOLUTELY! As we walk with God he directs our steps even unknowingly. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So the answer, in my opinion and experience, is somewhere in the middle. I thank God for the chain of events that led to a different parking spot. I thank God that He answers my daily prayer to direct my steps and protect my family. Now, what if I would have been in the middle of it? I am confident God would have placed me there for a purpose. If there was no purpose/reason then he would not and did not direct my steps to be on that road.

This does not answer the ultimate question that always arises in these conversations. Why do bad things happen to good people? Maybe I will tackle that one next.