The Choice is Your's...

BARuch 1:15-22

During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed:
"Justice is with the Lord, our God;
and we today are flushed with shame,
we men of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem,
that we, with our kings and rulers
and priests and prophets, and with our ancestors,
have sinned in the Lord's sight and disobeyed him.
We have neither heeded the voice of the Lord, our God,
nor followed the precepts which the Lord set before us.
From the time the Lord led our ancestors out of the land of Egypt
until the present day,
we have been disobedient to the Lord, our God,
and only too ready to disregard his voice.
And the evils and the curse that the Lord enjoined upon Moses, his servant,
at the time he led our ancestors forth from the land of Egypt
to give us the land flowing with milk and honey,
cling to us even today.
For we did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God,
in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us,
but each one of us went off
after the devices of his own wicked heart,
served other gods,
and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God."

I don't know how it is where you live, but for me I have been noticing a peculiar thing. It seems anymore that it is a sin to be wrong rather than it be a sin to commit a sin. In these instances I will watch people (even myself) argue tooth and nail to defend themselves rather than admit they got something wrong, like say, which exit to take on the interstate. Yet when it comes to actually sinning, people have no problem coveting each other possessions or spouses. Here we have the Israelites actually humbling themselves and admitting wrong. I wonder how much better a world this place would be if we would humbly and whole-heartedly admit when we are wrong. 

LuKe 10:13-16

Jesus said to them,
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.'
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me. 
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

I'll be honest, this is one of those scriptures that just shakes me to my core. Jesus is rather blunt here (and other places as well), but if you hear the word of God and it is known to and you still decide to not follow his way you will not find peace for an eternity in Heaven. Lines like these from Luke worry me because I meet so many that think that as long as they are a good person then there is nothing to worry about. I know talking about preparing your soul for the afterlife is like talking to teenagers about saving for retirement, but take heed, one day your body will perish or Jesus will return and you will be judged on your actions. I know the pull of spending Sunday morning in your pajamas on the couch. I've heard all the arguments, "I'm spiritual but not religious" or "I don't see the sense in going to church... they're all a bunch of scam artists..." For anyone who doesn't believe or doubts, take the time and pray. God isn't a overbearing jerk. He won't push himself on you, but if you take the time and talk to him and then listen, and I mean really listen, he will speak to you. You can think a lot of things but Jesus was clear. He is the son of God. You can either accept this or not. I implore you though for your soul, to take some time with the big man. He's waiting to love you with all He's got.