The Illusion of Choice

At the beginning of the 2022 film Matrix Resurrections, two characters meet - Bugs (pictured above) and Morpheus. Morpheus is presented with a choice in the film, or so it seems. And then Bugs says this:

"Choice is an illusion. You already know what you have to do." That was an interesting statement, I thought . . . and it got me thinking.

The Bible tells us that we were chosen by God 'before the creation of the world.'

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment - to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." - Ephesians 1:4-10

If we were already chosen by God, wasn't it then just a matter of our coming to realize it? Was our 'choice' meerly an illusion?

Enter the Holy Spirit. Literally. He enters us and our eyes become opened. We can see things that others cannot. We can tell truth from lies, justice from injustice. It's why we feel so uncomfortable here on earth. So...out of place. It's because we are. This is no longer our home.

The Eagles, in their 1979 classic Hotel California, said, "we are all just prisoners here of our own device." How true.

The picture above was taken when the Bugs character in the movie first came to believe that the life she was living was just an illusion. That there was something bigger, beyond the life she was living.

Have YOU had a moment like that in YOUR life? You KNOW there has got to be more than just waking up and going to work, day after day after day. That's because there IS more.

Here's a question for all of us: If God has indeed chosen us as the Bible says, why? What does God want us to do? Are we living our lives for Him? To bring glory to God? No? Maybe we should get started with that. Like tonight.

Tonight - Tobymac