I Will Choose Free Will!

Sometimes as missionaries we get little "freebies"--we were at this burger joint in Ukiah on Monday with a local member of the Church (I had an ostrich burger.  Yeah.  That just happened), and there was all this classic rock playing (Aside: as missionaries we don't listen to the radio or music that draws us away from Christ.), and I loved classic rock back home.  I was trying not to listen to it!  I promise!  Anyway, this song by Rush comes on and as I "wasn't listening", my ear caught hold of some of the lyrics, which are as follows:

"I will choose a path that's clear--I will choose freewill!"

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill;
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose freewill.

In between bites of ostrich, I really pondered the meaning behind those words.  We as humans value free will.  We (LDS people) believe it is one of the basic reasons we're her on Earth--to use our free will to choose God instead of Satan; we use our free will to"come unto Christ and be perfected in Him", like I posted last week. 

There's so much I could write about these words.  Indulge me in expounding upon just a few points here.

• "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice"--inaction is one of the things into which Satan wants us to fall.  A Book of Mormon prophet said this: "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security...And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none" (2 Nephi 28:21&22).  We have to choose Christ!  Inaction leads to idleness, and we all know who's workshop that is!
• "You can choose from phantom fears...I will choose a path that's clear"--there are plenty of distractions in this world.  There are people and groups and idealogies that want us to be afraid and to not choose for ourselves.  Well, we don't have to worry because the path back to God is clear.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).  Follow Him!  He will help us as we use our free will and choose His path.
• "I will choose freewill"--One of my favorite scriptures is Joshua 24:15, which reads in part, "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve...as for me any my house, we will serve the LORD".  My friends, choose Christ! Choose to be changed!  I am thankful for His mercy that allows me to choose a better way each day.

So please don't think I was breaking rules by keying into the words of that song (which just so happens to ROCK!).  I hope these little insights helped you as you all make important choices and always, always value the free will God has given you! 

Much Love,

Elder Spendlove

Image from: http://www.robertnavarra.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/different-paths.jpg