In my journey through life I’ve read the Bible many times.  In doing so I’ve used several different translations, study types and one which is suppose to be more accurate chronologically.  In the last year I’ve read through The Message–New Testament only.  This morning I began The Message–entire Bible.  It took me a while to get use to the common language used in this paraphrase, but I’m getting there.  I loved reading this morning how God created the earth and then filled the earth.  Immediately I was stricken with the truth that He did exactly the same thing with each of us–He created us and then filled us.  For us the only difference is that He gave us “the choice” to be filled with Him.  He wants to make sure man has full choice.  I do appreciate having the choice to have God within me, but I do not like having full choice when it comes to living out day to day life.

It took me most of my life to understand the power of choice and God’s restraining strength in letting man have this power.  All the years of my brother’s sexual abuse did its number on me and that was my brother’s choice.  I know now that he never used me to hurt me, he was simply gratifying himself in one of man’s many selfish ways.  God, in His infinite wisdom, provided a way of escape for me, however, just like He does for everyone of His creations as we choose Him and choose to walk with Him.  All of us are recipients and victims of “choice”.  No matter how hard it is to sometimes live each day, my choice is to do it in the freedom of Christ.  I may slip as any man does, but I will find God  in each day as He not only created me, but He filled me.  Praise the Lord!