Each time he turned back to continue our conversation, the waitress would continue on with the questions: "Would you like your potatoes mashed, baked, fried or boiled? Or would you prefer rice? We have brown rice, white rice, wild rice and fried rice."

Now he was really bewildered, but it did not stop. The waitress asked if he would like garlic toast, a whole-wheat bun or a slice of bread. Several soups were offered, and by now my haggard friend was slumped in his seat, looking thoroughly bewildered. He had never been assaulted with such an array of choices in his life. When it was over, he commented, "Next time I will just tell her that I will have whatever you are having."

It's funny how sometimes the more choices we have, the more difficult it can be to make a decision. When we finally decide, we can second-guess ourselves over and over again, never sure we have made the right choice. Often, we kick ourselves a year later for something we should have done or a choice we should have made.

God gives us a decision to make, but we have only two options to consider. God set before Israel a decision between life and death—blessings and cursings—and encouraged them to choose life for their sakes and the sakes of their children (Deuteronomy 30:19). God likewise gave His Church two choices. We can choose to live forever with God, or we can choose eternal death.

God will not make this decision for us; we are not robots that are controlled. God has created humans with minds to think, plan, gather information and choose. He would be remiss to degrade the human mind—the pinnacle of His creation—by taking away the very faculties that allow us to develop holy righteous character. God wants people who have chosen to follow Him willingly, to believe in Him, to trust Him and to love Him.

In the final analysis of life, it ought to be clear to us that our Heavenly Father expects us to learn to appreciate and love Him and His way of life in all its aspects. We are to understand the reason for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

During our lifetime there will be many moments in which we will be tested to see if we are focused on God. He is not concerned about the houses we live in, the cars we drive or the normal things of life. He is concerned about the choices that affect eternity. Will we choose life each time? UN