Choice
By Lim Cheng Yee
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I’ve recently finished reading through Isaiah and Jeremiah. And I must say that the fury of the Lord is astonishing. But even more astonishing is His love.



If my wife, after a year of marriage, decides to spend all my money on jewelry and clothes, cheats on me and always comes home drunk (if she ever does come home), you’d think I’m an idiot if I told you I still love her.


If she did all of that, and decided to work as a prostitute and openly bring clients back to my house and use my bed to conduct her business, never do my laundry and ignores me in my own house, you’d think I’m a lunatic to say that I still love her and will never leave her. Right?


But that’s what God did for Israel. And if you had agree with the previous two paragraphs, I think it is fair to say that you now think that God is both an idiot and a lunatic. Well, don’t. Because He’s not. I am. Let me explain.


When i realised the immensity of what was happening and considered all the things God said in Isaiah and Jeremiah, I just kept asking, “Why?” And one day He impressed upon my heart, the word, “Choice.”


Choice.
” ‘…Jacob whom I have chosen,…’ ” (Isa 41:8)
” ‘I have chosen you and have not cast you away:’ ” (Isa 41:9)
“…, ‘And my servant whom I have chosen,…’ ” (Isa 43:10)
” ‘To give drink to My people, My chosen.’ ” (Isa 43: 20)


Chosen. God made a choice. God made a choice to love Israel.


When God chose Abraham, didn’t He know that Abraham could have just ignored Him? Didn’t He know that just because Abraham was obedient, it doesn’t mean that Isaac would be? Didn’t He know that Abraham’s descendants might choose to rebel against Him?


I think He knew, yet He chose Abraham and his descendants. Now let me show you how this relates to love.


The sentence, “I love you.” tells us nothing about the “you”, but a lot about the “I”. Because to love you, I have to make a choice, not you. Reasons and preferences only help me in my decision, but the corner stone of my love, is my decision to love.


If I told my wife that I love her because she’s a really sweet loving caring person. What happens if she goes through depression? In that situation, she no longer fulfills the reason I chose to marry her. Hence, I should divorce her? No! Of course not.
So you see already, that although reasons are important, ultimately they are irrelevant. Because a choice has been made, and regardless of what happens, the “I” will still love the “you”.


You must be wondering if this is a bit extreme. Let me just run this analysis of the following sentence and you decide for yourself.
“Tarzan loves Jane.”
What is required of Jane to be loved by Tarzan? Jane has to be… erm… Jane. What if Jane became cruel? Would Tarzan still love Jane? What if she cheated on him? Would Tarzan still love Jane? What if Jane ran away? Would Tarzan still love Jane?
I bet if you asked Tarzan those questions, he’d reply your question with a question,: “Is Jane, Jane?”
Yes. So Tarzan still loves Jane. Yes, Israel is still Israel; God still loves Israel. Yes, I’m the idiot, I’m the lunatic and I am still me; God still loves me.

Amazing isn’t it?
Choice. Wow.