Chosen - Martin Wiles

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:1 NLT

The ability to choose is powerful. One of my favorite poems is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;        5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,        10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.        15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Whether Frost refers to a specific choice he later regretted or not, I’m not sure. But I know I’ve regretted a few. I’ve faced many forks in the road, made a choice, and then later wondered how life might have been different on the other road. 

Perhaps only a few times in a person’s lifetime can they actually try the other road. Paul’s fork came on the Damascus Road while he was on a mission to arrest, persecute, and kill Christians. A bright light from heaven parted his path, the risen Christ gave him an opportunity to take another road in life, and he accepted it. God chose him, but he had to choose Christ in return. 

Life affords me many choices, but the most important choice I have to make is what I’ll do with Christ: accept him like Paul or turn away. Once I choose him, he gives me many other opportunities to serve him, but at each juncture in the road I have to choose his will over mine. Having the ability to choose him is wonderful; being chosen to be his child is an even greater privilege. 

Choose to follow and serve Christ. It’s a decision you’ll never regret.

Prayer: Father, thank You for choosing us to be Your children. 

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