In his cynicism, the writer of Ecclesiastes 9:3 lamented: “It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.” And we were all on that path – as were you when you came into the Mission.
But God has set a choice with a promise before us in Deuteronomy 30:19: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” This is the new path that we must choose daily.
We are all here . . . every one of us is here because we made choices along the way that brought us to this place – some on one side of Mission services and some on the other. A few of us have found ourselves on both side of these services of emergency food, clothing shelter and counsel . . . we are each part of the hope of hospitality that leads to life. Both sides have a choice . . . to be one who extends our hand out with assistance and hope – or to be one to extend our hand in receipt of assistance and hope.
We are here to celebrate seven individuals who made their choice a year ago and now find themselves new persons. I am here to challenge you as you go forward. Your choices do not end here on this night of celebration . . . they have only begun. However, they are begun anew. What will be your choices in the future?
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says that when you make a promise, let your yes be yes, and your no be no. How can you strengthen your resolve and your promise you make tonight – to choose yes? How do you continue to choose the right thing, and the right way?
One is in and through prayer* – as we commune and converse with God. But God is not like a vending machine where we insert a coin (or prayer) and expect to get anything we want . . . Prayer changes the one who prays. It is an intimate discussion with the One who created and loves you. That is how you find the power to choose yes.
Another is through self-examination of our conscience. A deliberate reflection on your daily choices can be made by asking yourself about your relationship with God. Where are you in relationship to Christ – and what you know to be His will for you? What are your choices? Which will glorify Him? Or which will weaken your relationship? What implication does that choice have for your future? Consider that.
Thirdly, you can also confide in your relationship with those of faith who God puts in your life . . . as you did in the daily check-ins here, you must continue to be open to share with others the choices you are facing. Keep allowing yourself to be transparent with others, and open to the wisdom of godly peers and counselors. We are here for you.
Prayer, self-examination, and staying in community . . . these are what I charge you with developing, strengthening and sustaining in your lives as you seek to make the right choices in your continuing journey with Christ. As you have been doing the past year, seek grace and strength to say no to destruction and ruin, and make a fully conscious choice about who you are and who it is that you will become.
God Bless You.
* I give credit for this outline to Shawn Copeland in Practicing Our Faith (Jossey-Bass: 1997)
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