“I Want it Now!” is a song sung by Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” In 1974 Burger King rolled out this slogan, “Have It Your Way”. Then there was, “Because I’m worth it” by L’Oreal in 1973. Frank Sinatra & Elvis sang this hit song, “I Did It My Way.” Expectations, we all have them. In fact, they start when we are babies. As we grow older, we have more expectations. Expectations drive our lives & our efforts to be happy. But at the core…it’s all about me.

This “All About Me” desire goes all the way back in time. When we look closely at the first family of creation, we see self-centeredness. In Genesis 2:15-17 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” God is straightforward and clear. He warned Adam & Eve…and us.

Let’s read further. In Genesis 3:1-6 “He (Satan) said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” This choice changed life for everyone. Sin is now part of life. It’s the core sin of self-centeredness.

This self-centered choice brought the consequences God warned about, “For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” Gensis 3:19. Paul further tells us in Romans 3:23 “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And we also learn in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”

God, our Loving Father also introduced our great Hope of His Redemption Plan. This incredible plan is introduced in Genesis 3:15 with, “He (Jesus) will strike your (Satan) head, and you will strike his heel.” Then through out the Old & New Testament God reveals the specifics of His Glorious Plan of Redemption. In John 3:16-17, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son (Jesus), so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” Then we discover the rest of Romans 6:23, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So, will you accept His Precious Gift? It’s the most important choice you will ever make. Your eternal life depends on it. Will you “Follow” Jesus?