“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us…So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26a,27 NLT)
There is no one who has a greater measure of free will than God, yet He made the decision to share that gift with the crown of His creation – mankind; me and you! But why? It seems all we do is use it to make our own decisions, to go our own way, and to pull ourselves further from Him.
The simple answer is love. God is love. Love, ideally, gives and receives, but if we were robots or beings without a will, we have no means of giving or receiving love. It would be like having a stuffed animal rather than a living pet. Sure, they’re far less work. You don’t have to feed them or care for them, but you also don’t get to interact with them, play with them, love them, laugh with them.
C.S. Lewis spoke to this when he wrote: “Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.” How does that speak to you? Seriously, think about it. What or whom in your life do you love? What brings you joy? What causes you to feel good? Why do you cry? Swear? Get frustrated and angry?
Love, while not in and of itself an emotion, certainly contributes to the long range of emotions we feel and experience from day to day. Think of the feelings you have during any given day. Why? What is the source or cause of those emotions? A hug as you leave for work? An increase in salary? A bonus for a job well done? A flat tire on your way to an important appointment? A refusal for a home loan? A negative report from your doctor or Accountant?
Life is filled with experiences that send us up and down on the roller coaster of our emotions, but when we’re grounded in God’s unchanging love, He gives us the resource of strength to deal with whatever comes. The love of God for us and our love for Him and one another serves as our “safety net” when life knocks us down.
When I first learned I had Alzheimer’s it was frightening because my dad died of dementia. He had Parkinson’s Disease, but it debilitated him until he was little more than a shell of the man I once knew. My thoughts immediately raced to the “end,” to the devastating finish to which my life was now headed. But in my fear the Lord reminded me of Jeremiah 29:11. And while I understand the context is completely different, God’s Words brought comfort and reassurance to my heart when the Lord said: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me. I will be found by you,’ says the Lord.”
I’m grateful God’s word to the exiles of Israel still rings true to the frightened spiritual “exiles” alive today. Because I have free will, I can choose to entrust my fear, doubt, and inability to clearly see what my future holds, into the capable hands of the One who can and does. And so can you, my friend, so can you!
Our free will gives us the choice and opportunity to be loved by the God who created us and to love Him in return. And when we do that, nothing, absolutely nothing, can cause us to doubt or fear anything, knowing our loving Father has our back and He will carry us through whatever life throws our way.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 