Daily Devotional For Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Choices — we make unlimited choices everyday. It seems our lives are an all-day smorgasbord of choices. Do I do this or this? Do I eat this or that? Do I watch this or that? Do I respond to text or email or phone call or not? With so many options today, it can be daunting and overwhelming. When I was kid, there were only 3 TV Networks: CBS, NBC, & ABC and they all three signed off at midnight. When I was a kid, there was basically Coca-Cola or Pepsi. When I was a kid, there was only the local family owned grocery story — not today. With so many options and choices today, we can get headaches from the paralysis of analysis. 

We start this early on in life. A baby as it grows will pick choose which stuff animal or blanket is its favorite. Every parent knows that stuffed animal or blanket better be with that sound child at all times. And when the child becomes a teen, you will know if they prefer fries or onion rings. But as we grow up, life teaches us very quickly that choices have consequences. How many parents have told their young children, “Don’t touch that” or “Don’t climb up on that?” The child refuses to listens and makes their own choice and they get hurt from it.

David writes in Psalm 119:101, “I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to Your Word” (NLT). The most important choice you and I can make is allow Jesus Christ to become both our Savior and Lord. The second most important choice we make is to choose to discover God’s purpose for our lives and then do it. Will we choose to build God’s kingdom or tear it down? Will we choose to discover God’s purpose for our lives and then do it? Probably, the third most important choice we make is this: Will we choose to obey God rather than conform to this world?” 

Everyday we can choose to tell the truth or we can choose to spin it — making ourselves look better. Will we choose to use our company’s credit card for personal use or will we choose to limit our purchases only for what benefits our company? Will we choose to stay silent when someone mocks the Christian faith or will we choose to speak up and tell that person what Jesus Christ as personally done for us? Here is what I have discovered in life —these kinds of choices either move us closer in our relationship with Jesus Christ or they pull us further away. After Moses died, God chose Joshua to be His leader over the Hebrews. Joshua said this to the Hebrews in Joshua 24:14-15:

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. (15) And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (NLT).

When Joshua said this, he was not referring a choice between Apple Operating System or a Microsoft Window's Operating System. The most important daily choice you'll ever make is — whether to serve the Lord or not. I really like what Christian author Randy Alcorn writes (Source: Randy Alcorn; “The Cumulative Effect of Our Little Choices,” EPM Blog, (5-8-17):

“Have you ever seen a sinkhole? Cars can be parked on a street day after day, and everything appears normal, then one day the asphalt caves in and cars disappear into a gigantic hole.Everybody says, “That hole came out of nowhere.” But they’re wrong. The hole appears suddenly but the process that led to it has gone on for many years. The underground erosion was invisible, but it was there all along.

Sinkholes remind us of two things: first, something can look good on the outside, when underneath major problems have been going on for years, and disaster’s about to happen. Second, our lives are affected by little choices, which have cumulative effects that can result in either moral strength or moral disaster.”

Joshua gave the Hebrews a choice and God gives you one also today. Choose Christ or choose culture. Choose God or choose greed. Choose the Lord or choose lust. As for you and your house, who do you serve?

Scripture to Meditate On: 1 Kings 18:21, “And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I want all my choices to honor You. That is what I want. I repent of my selfish choices. I confess my indulgent attitudes. Jesus, I want to choose You over me. Please help me to do that. Holy Spirit, help me to see the path to purity, godliness, holiness, righteousness and grant me the humility to choose to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside — Pastor Kelly