A Matter of Life and Death

A matter of life and death. A phrase that holds such heavy implication. Has anyone ever told you that you have a decision to make that’s a matter of life and death? I’ve never been told that specifically, but I have had to make such a decision. And I know a lot of people who have as well. Whether you realize it or not, we’re all faced with this dilemma and the choice we make is life altering.

Every day our lives are filled with questions that must be answered. From the very simplistic of what we’ll wear for the day, to more serious decisions of choosing a career, a spouse, or where we’ll raise our children, some choices we make without even hesitating, while others deserve time and a lot of thinking.

When I was around seven years old, I made a decision that would not only affect me, but my future husband, my children and those around me. I made the decision to ask Christ into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. I know what some may be thinking, how can a seven-year-old make such a weighted decision? It wasn’t that hard actually. My parents taught me as I was growing up what it meant to be a Christian and what it meant to follow Jesus. One day in church, I had an overwhelming urge to go to the altar. I knew I wanted to live my life serving and following Him.

Christ Doesn’t Expect Perfection, But Instead Offers Forgiveness

Now, at forty-two years of age, that decision has impacted every decision I’ve ever made. It affected my decision to marry my husband, which affects the way we raise our kids, which affected their views on Christ and their decisions they make in their life. Does it mean they’ll always make the right ones? Of course not, but thankfully for all of us, Christ doesn’t expect perfection, but instead offers forgiveness.

I didn’t realize at the age of seven, how much I’d appreciate or need Christ’s forgiveness. I know I understood forgiveness because I’d always ask for it in my night-time prayers. At such a young age, my need for forgiveness was mainly for the occasional cuss word thrown at my brother, maybe a lie here and there about whether or not I cleaned my room, or the “big sin” of stealing my grandfather’s cigarettes and smoking them at night in my bed. Once my parents smelled the smoke from a small hole I burned in my bed sheet, I was caught. After all, what seven year old knows how to smoke?

I’ve had thirty-five years, since that day at the altar, to make a lot of wrong decisions and commit some “bigger” sins. But every single day of these forty-two years, Christ has never abandoned me. Instead, He has carried me, forgiven me, restored me, and has lead me into a precious relationship with Himself. A relationship I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Deciding to follow and live for Christ hasn’t given me a perfect life without pain or sorrow. It hasn’t given me a mountain of wealth and success, at least not in the way that society would define it. But I’ve had priceless moments and experiences that far surpass this world’s riches. I have peace even when the storms of life rage around me. I have hope and strength on days when I feel most weak. Most importantly of all, I have the assurance of eternity in Heaven, saving me from the depths of Hell.

The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. You see, Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price when He gave His life for our sins on the cross. His gift to us of eternal life is free, we only have to accept it. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

What Will Your Decision Be?

Have you made the decision to accept Christ into your life? If so, then please share in the comments below how following Christ has changed your life. If not, then might I encourage you to look into starting a relationship with Jesus Christ. A relationship unlike any other with the One who loves you beyond measure. The One who gave his life up for you. The One who so desperately wants a relationship with you. This is the most important decision you’ll ever make. It’s a matter of life and death.