Power to Choose

Events in Egypt are moving fast, though not fast enough for some.

President Morsi, originally sponsored by the Muslim Brotherhood, is deeply unpopular with the more secular and non-Islamic communities in Egypt, because he has not delivered on his promises to bring healing and change for all Egyptians. He wants more time to make the changes, and more powers to produce changes. But the protesters are deeply suspicious of the latter and do not want to allow him the former.

But this story is being reproduced in both Turkey and Brazil, and is an escalation of the experience of the British people most of the time. 

After an election, there is a time when many people imagine the new government will make things better. Quite soon, disillusion sets in, and we resent it when half-baked ideas become policy, and we begin to wonder what might happen after the next election.

We have the power to choose, but it doesn't produce the results we long for.

In one of Jesus' parables, he has a group of subjects complaining about their ruler. '“A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’ (Luke 19.12-14)

That startling comment from 'his people who hated him' comes a shock even within the story. Jesus makes no further comment on the choice of the people to reject the rightful king. Clearly, people have the power to choose.

The prologue to John's Gospel picks up this theme, as he tells of the coming of the true light into God's world. 

We often hear this read around Christmas time (less than 6 months away!) 'He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.' (John 1.10-13)It is astonishing that God, in his mercy and love for us, has given us the power to choose - either to reject or accept the gift of Jesus. Our eternal destiny is determined by the choices we make. But that is how seriously our Creator God takes us.

Our privilege, as followers of Jesus, is to be able to play our part in helping others to use their power to choose to choose life.

Let's pray that we are effective and faithful in this ministry.

Best wishes,

Richard