Choose!

Making a choice can be a liberating experience. All through the past Summer, I pursued replacement of my car. For three months I spent time on the Internet researching various models, visited showrooms to do test drives, and calculated the difference in costs between buying a used car and a new one. Only God knows (literally) how much time I used (wasted?) in the process of finding another car. Then one day at the end of August, I made a decision. Within an hour's time, I had signed the contract. My choice liberated me from the ongoing search for new wheels.

When we were serving a church in Massachusetts, my daughters approached High School graduation dates and I knew in my heart that God would be sending me to another place of service. In early 1999, I began to pray that He would guide us in the new step. "Where do you want me to go, Lord?" I prayed about the possibility of missions. I considered various regions of the country. I evaluated the gifts He's given me to use in His work. Then, in the Summer of 2000, an opportunity was presented to us and we prayerfully followed through. The choice to accept the pastorate of Washington Assembly in August was liberating. No more wondering, 'where, how, what?'

Making a choice, committing ourselves to a course of action, allows us to move forward. But some of us will not choose, because we want to keep all our options open.

Joshua, at the end of his life, called the people of God together and presented a challenge of choice to them: “Fear God. Worship him in total commitment. . . . If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you’d rather serve—and do it today. . . . As for me and my family, we’ll worship God.”" (Joshua 24:14-15, The Message)

Elijah, a few generations later, called the leaders of Israel together for a show-down and demanded a choice - “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, (the regional fertility god) follow him. Make up your minds!” (1 Kings 18:21, The Message)

Jesus came by the fishing boats of Peter and Andrew and said: “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.”" (Mark 1:17, CEV)

I believe that Holy Spirit is confronting us with the same question today! "Choose! Make up your minds. Come, follow me!" If we answer His call with a clear and unequivocal, "Yes!" we will find great freedom and new direction for life. The wondering and wandering will be over for us. Life will be purposeful. There will be moments of stress, times when we may wonder if we have taken the right way, but if we keep focused on Him, we will not fall or falter, for the choice is made.

To whom do you belong, friend? Is your choice made, or are you still 'on the fence?' Are you trying to protect all your options and as a consequence doing little or nothing for the Lord and His work? Are you miserable because you are trying to keep one foot in the things of this world and the other in the Kingdom of God? Choose! If you are not ready to make Him Lord of all, then do not attempt to make Him Lord at all! He is a jealous God and will not allow you to share your affections with other gods.

I believe that the single greatest reason people find their Christianity so unsatisfying is that they have not truly made the choice to follow Jesus. Many want Him to be their Savior. They want the assurance that God is there for them, that Heaven's door will be open to them when the last act is played - but they want to hang onto their life, to live by their own desires, to say and do what they want, without seeking or submitting to the Lord God. In that double-mindedness, they are, as James says, "unstable in all their ways." They cannot enjoy anything because they are trying to own everything.

So, choose today! If God is really God, then serve Him. Consider these words of Jesus and I pray that they will compel you to choose Him as Lord of life.
"Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.” Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.” (Luke 9:61-62, The Message) ______________________

Jesus Is Lord Of All

All my possessions
And all my life,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All my tomorrows,
all my past,
Jesus is Lord of all.

King of kings,
Lord of lords,
Jesus is Lord of all!

I've quit my struggles,
Contentment at last,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All of my conflicts,
All my thoughts,
Jesus is Lord of all.

His love wins the battles
I could not have fought,
Jesus is Lord of all.

All of my longings,
All my dreams,
Jesus is Lord of all.

All of my failures
His power redeems,
Jesus is Lord of all.

King of kings,
Lord of lords,
Jesus is Lord of all!

© 1973 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management CCLI License No. 810055