Your Terrible Freedom

A bold experiment began
When God created earth and man;
Giving man the power of choice
To spurn His Word or head His voice.
That day the angels held their breath
As man chose sin and self and death.

God could have saved this world its woe
By building robots that would go
In just the paths that He’d designed,
Obeying, but obeying blind.
He could have saved His Son the shame
By forcing man His will to claim.

But God’s bold test was for a cause --
To prove, though man may break His laws
And nail His Savior to a cross,
That God will triumph over loss
And bring Himself eternal fame
By cleansing man from sin and shame.

For only ransomed souls can sing;
No praises flow from robot-things.
And heaven’s angels now rejoice
To think that God gave man a choice!

[ by Betty Jo Mathis -- from 'The Encourager' ]