Only Two Choices

Only Two Choices

Two Women At The Mill

Read: Matthew 24:37-44

Marilyn sat in the coffee shop and restlessly fingered the half-carat diamond on her left hand. What have I gotten myself into? she wondered. Sure, Rick was a great guy and they’d had a lot of fun the past year. He wanted to settle down and start a family. But now that the wedding loomed only two months away, Marilyn was having second thoughts. She had always enjoyed the freedom of going out with a lot of different guys. Am I ready to give that up? How can I say “I do” when a part of me is shouting “I don’t”?

A marriage proposal requires a “yes or no” answer. We are also required to give an answer to God. In the passage from Matthew 24, Jesus told several stories to show how critical it is for every person to make a choice about following him. When Jesus returns to earth, people will be going about their usual business, like the two women grinding flour at the mill. Suddenly one woman will be taken and the other will remain. The separation of those who know God from those who have rejected him will be swift. At that point, there will be no second chances.

These days, we admire people who keep an open mind, accept all viewpoints, and explore all their options. Many people try to take a middle-of-the-road stance regarding Jesus, but Jesus taught that we have only two choices: to receive him as our Savior and follow him as our Lord, or to reject him and be an enemy of God. Looking for an alternative choice is dangerous. Someday, our time will be up and it will be too late for second thoughts. By not saying “I do” to God, we will have said “I don’t” to him.

[Jesus said,] “He who is not with me is against me.”

Matthew 12:30 (NASB)