Hedging the Bets
listening to: Chick Corea Elektric Band on YouTube.com
reading: Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I received this as a part of a larger e-mail today at work from a well-meaning co-worker.
I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.
The author of that phrase seems to be hedging his bets. “Well, just in case He really exists, I had better straighten up, follow the Bible and Jesus and what-not.” I have to take issue with this, although I cannot directly criticize the author who seems to be trying to do the right thing.
As a new Christian some years ago, I did feel like I was running away from Hell. I wanted nothing to do with eternal damnation, so I ran for my life.
If you are running away from something, do you actually know where you are going? Running away aimlessly, that’s all it really is.
I realized that I had to run towards something. I had to change my attitude and run towards God. Run towards His light and His grace. By chasing Him and knowing where I was going, I was running away from Hell by default, and I really was not scared anymore.
So, if we are to follow God, let’s not do it to avoid something unpleasant. Let’s run towards Him, and forget the alternative. Don’t hedge your bets, just throw them all away.
buck on 09.17.08 @ 08:30 PM EST [link] [No Comments]