I've set before you life and death... choose life

God has given me and Diane a ministry to a few women in our neighborhood who pay for their crack addictions by selling their bodies. He has given us a heart for them and has given us favor with them that they trust us and come to us when they are in need, and we have seen one of them leave the streets recently and trust Christ to get her on the right track.

Another of our friends, however, is not there yet, and she recently stopped by the house after getting out of prison. She wanted a Bible and ended up staying for dinner, and in the course of conversation, we found that she had a job that night set up for her by a friend who has an escort service. She was to go to some party and dance with another girl, although she assured us she didn't have to do anything sexual (!). I felt led by God to challenge that choice and to invite her to stay the night with us, and then in the morning we could try and find her a halfway house. I told her that I felt that this was a very important choice for her, one that would have a huge impact on her life.

She practically ran from the house (she does this when Diane and I get too close to her issues or her heart is being revealed), and as I looked out our back window, I saw an SUV pull up beside her in the dark as she walked along our yard. She paused, got in, and was gone. And all I could think of was the verse in Deuteronomy where God says, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse - choose life."

I was so sad that she didn't choose life this time, yet how often do I ignore the same call and offer from my Lord? His way doesn't always look or feel like life. Yet He promises that it is. I pray that our friend and Diane and I will continue to grow in believing the good news that God's way is life, instead of falling for the Lie.