In I Samuel 13:13-14, Samuel rebuked King Saul for not waiting to offer the sacrifice before the battle, as he had been instructed. He told him: “For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure.” Samuel was clearly saying that IF Saul had obeyed God, God would have established his kingdom forever. But since he didn’t, his choice had consequences, and that “NOW” — as a result of his choice — his kingdom would not endure.

There are many such places are in scripture, which teach us that we have real choices, which could have gone way or another, with consequences dependent upon those choices.

One of those places is II Kings 13:17-19. The prophet Elisha told the king to strike the ground with some arrows. He struck the ground 3 times, but Elisha was angry. He told the king that if he had struck the ground 5-6 times, the enemy would have been utterly defeated, but because he had only struck the ground 3 times, he would only defeat them 3 times. Elisha indicated that the king COULD have chosen to do more than he did, which would have affected the outcome differently.

What all of this means, of course, is that we have real, meaningful decisions to make here on earth, which result in real, meaningful consequences. Our decisions have outcomes, and those outcomes are consequent to our decisions. If you are facing a decision today, that decision WILL impact your future. Be sure to take it seriously, and seek God’s leadership and direction through His word — because your choices do have consequences!