p. 164 | DESIRING AND CHOOSING

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 9, 1861

DESIRING AND CHOOSING.

WE often hear people say, I desire to be a christian; I desire to go forward, and to go through with the people of God; I desire a part with the saints in their inheritance in light, and in the joys of eternal life. This is all well enough so far as it goes. The only trouble with such expressions is, they do not go far enough.

Desire applies to those objects, the obtaining of which depends upon circumstances beyond our control, or upon the will of another. We desire a prosperous journey; but it is beyond our power to order it as we please. We desire a favor from a friend; but it depends upon his will whether or not we receive it. On the other hand, of all objects under our control, or subject to our will, we signify our preference for one over another, not by desire but by choice. If there were two roads leading to a certain place, and we preferred the right to the left, we should not express that preference by saying, I desire to take the road to the right; but I choose to take it. If two gifts were presented to us, one of which we might take, we should not say of the one which was accepted, I desired this; but, I chose it. Choice here includes desire; for if no desire existed, the choice would not follow; but the desire alone without the choice would effect nothing.

It is for this reason, no doubt, that the Scriptures almost uniformly represent the christian life, its warfare, its sufferings, its joys and its reward, as matters of choice, not merely of desire. It is not said of Moses that he desired to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; but it is said that he chose to do this. Heb. xi, 25. Joshua did not say unto the people, Desire ye this day whom ye will serve, but choose ye this day whom ye will serve. Josh. xxiv, 15. David does not say, I have desired the way of truth; but he does say, I have chosen it. Ps. cxix, 30. Moses does not say to the children of Israel, I have set before you life and death, therefore desire life; but, I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life. Deut. xxx, 19. All these things were matters of choice with them. They might have them if they would. They had it in their power to act one way or the other; and it was for them not merely to desire, but to choose which they would do.

Just so it is now. Do you desire to take the humble path of those who are pilgrims and strangers on the earth? You can do so if you choose. Do you desire to suffer with Christ here that you may reign with him hereafter? You can if you choose. Do you desire the reward which is promised to the faithful at last? You may have it, if you choose it. These matters are all left with us. They are placed in our power, subject to our own action, and we can accept or reject them as we choose.

Choice necessarily implies action: desire does not. We may desire and desire again, and yet never move; but if we choose a certain course in anything, we shall, of course, immediately act in accordance with our choice. If there is no action, there is no evidence of any choice. The conclusion is therefore evident that simply desiring life we may never gain it—choosing it, we shall have it.