DECISION  AND  DESTINY

The Road Not Taken.   "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..."   One road was well traveled,  the other "wanted wear."   In this poem,  Robert Frost calls our attention to the impact that a single decision can have on the rest of our lives.  

Success In Life.   How much success we achieve in life depends on our ability to make right decisions,  and that ability depends upon our knowledge and understanding.  Have you ever said,   _If only I had known..._  If I had had better knowledge,   I could have made a better decision. 

Decision Makes The Difference.   A single decision can be the difference between joy and sorrow in life...between peace and turmoil...between success and failure...and may be the difference between life and death.

Delay Can Be Costly.    Timing is often a key factor in decision-making.   A driver goes into a skid on an icy highway.   He has only seconds to respond,   and his decision may very well determine whether he comes out of the skid or goes over the embankment.  The decision the doctor makes in the ER may very well determine whether the patient lives or dies.

Early Decisions In Life.  For the first several years of our lives,   decisions are made by our parents.  An important part of parenting is teaching our children good decision-making skills.   We reach the time in our lives when we are accountable for our own decisions,  and those decisions determine not only how we live this life,   but also where we will spend the next.   In making a decision,   there are some things that must be refused,   and other things that must be accepted.

One Life-Changing Decision.   In Hebrews 11,  the great faith chapter of The Bible,  there is a record of a number of decisions made by great men and women of faith. Let's take note of the decision of one young man,   and the results of that decision.   Moses chose to cast his lot with his people,  the Hebrews,   rather than with the Egyptians.

Some Things Moses Refused.   "By faith Moses,  when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter..."   (Heb. 11:24).   This single decision of Moses changed the entire course of the rest of his life.   In refusing to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter,  he was refusing:   

1)  Earthly Praise.  Moses was refusing the glory and honor of being a prince in Egypt,   the kind of position many folks spend their lives pursuing.    

2) Earthly Power.  We have no way of knowing what position of power and authority Moses might have attained as the grandson of Pharoah,  but surely he would at least have been in Pharoah_s cabinet.   The desire for power and authority  is a strong drive in many.  

3)  Earthly Pleasure.   Moses could have remained in Egypt and enjoyed the pleasures available to the nobility of the day.  Many devote their lives to the pursuit of pleasure.  

4)  Earthly Possessions.   Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt (Heb 11:26).   Egypt was one of the wealthiest nations of the day.   Much had been accumulated while Joseph was governor of Egypt.   Many give their lives in pursuit of earthly possessions.  

Some Things Moses Accepted.   Not only did Moses refuse a number of things most folks pursue,   he also accepted some things most folks would refuse.  In the single choice he made to leave Egypt,  Moses was accepting:   

1)  A Life of Sacrifice.   He was giving up the luxury,   the security,   the power,  and the honor of being a prince in Egypt.  In the decision to become a Christian,   we,   too,   must deny self (Matt. 16:24),   and present our bodies a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1).         

2)  A Life of Suffering.   Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God.  For forty years he suffered the instability and the rebellion of the children of Israel.   Contrary to the preaching of many today,  Jesus never promised a life of ease,   but rather that his disciples would suffer,   just as He had. 

3)  A Life of Self-Denial.   In the decision Moses made,   he was denying himself of all the joys and comforts of Egypt.   Jesus said,  _If any man will come after me,  let him deny himself..._   (Matt.  16:24).  

4)  A Life of Service.   Moses could have stayed in Egypt and been served,   but he chose God,   and became a servant.   The Christian is called to serve  (Matt. 23:11;   John 13:14-15).  

The Wisdom Behind The Choice.   Moses made his choice based on:  

1) The Right Faith.   Moses heard and responded to the Word of God.  That same faith,   which comes from hearing God_s Word  (Rom.  10:17),  is available to all today.         

2) The Right Reward.   Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt (Heb. 11:26).   To be a follower of Christ one must have respect for the spiritual blessings He promises.  

3)  The Right King.   Moses _endured,   as seeing him who is invisible._   (Heb. 11:27).   Through the eye of faith,  we,  too,  can see  the King of the Universe,  Him who is invisible.

Did Moses Make The Right Choice?  That question must be answered in view of spiritual values,   and in view of eternity.   The decision Moses made was based on genuine faith in God and His Word.   Without that faith,  Moses no doubt would have chosen to remain in Egypt.    That faith,   based on God's Word,  is available to all today.    Only those who recognize the value of spiritual things,  and the vastness of eternity,   will make the same decision Moses did,  the decision to be a servant of the Most High.   Decisions Do Determine Destiny.