Is or Isn't
When we moved to Chicago one of the first things we were told was, “Pick a side.” Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox? Now I had been raised in a home that rooted for the NY Yankees but when I mentioned that, I was immediately shushed and told to choose. It was mostly all in good fun...but seriously choose. So I did.
This idea of choosing has been a topic on my heart a lot lately. I was visiting a church while on vacation over the holiday season and a young man stood up to share in the service. He said,
"Either God is everything or He is nothing."
That's a bold statement which draws a hard line. One which required picking a side. It was as if someone dropped a boulder in my hands. The weight it of keeled me over.
Choose.
Either God is holy or He is not.
Either God is sovereign or He is not.
Either God is mighty or He is not.
Either God is truth or He is not.
Either I choose myself or I choose God.
Either I choose this world or I choose God.
I have been rolling this phrase around in my head for months now. In fact this blog has been in hopper for awhile, but I didn't feel like I could speak to it as God worked out issues of my heart. I wrestled with conviction & repentance, because there is no middle ground. No where in scripture do we find God saying, "that's okay, I'll let that one slide." Or, "sure you can choose to believe that but act in this way."
Choose.
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend with the world makes himself an enemy of God. ~James 4:4
Here's the thing, as I grapple with this question, it doesn't just pertain to issues of the heart. Jesus just starts with the heart because from there life flows and it then becomes the lens through which we can examine all of life. In this season of social distancing, supply hoarding, and the unknown of pandemic, how we choose to answer this question can be life changing!
If God is everything then I don't have to fear.
If God is everything then I can have peace.
If God is everything I have hope.
Ps. I chose the Cubbies.
