"Choose This Day
I'd like to say that at the beginning of my life I made a decision to pursue all that God has for me. And on the basis of that one-time decision, I've grown upward and upward and now I'm the giant of a man you see before you [kidding!]. I'd like to say thats true... however it's not
Because, for me, growth and maturity have not come as a result of a one-time decision, but are a result of a series of decisions - the faithful choosing of God's way, and His way only. Walking in the continued glory and blessing of God requires decisions, decisions, decisions.
It seems rather strange that after a lifetime of putting God first, Joshua, in his elder years, would still have to make decisions to follow the Lord. But Joshua 24:15 states that, even near the end of his life, Joshua was still making choices. The suggestion is that no matter how long you've known the Lord or how many decisions you've made, you'll still need to daily choose Him.
The world will regularly force you to make decisions: (1) Will you choose the Lord again today? (2) Will you choose your spouse again today? (3) Will you choose your calling again today? (4) Will you choose to put the Lord first again today?
Most people say, 'But, Lord, I've made the decision to follow You totally.' Joshua 24:22 says that your experience will reveal your choices. Joshua said there are several decisions he made:
1. My decision to serve Him - Verse 21
2. My decision to obey Him - Verse 24
3. My decision to fear Him - verse 14
In Mark 10, Jesus placed His finger on the one thing in life of the rich young ruler that kept him from choosing to follow the Lord - his unwillingness to surrender his possessions. Jesus said to the rich man, 'You lack one thing... and for that reason you are unable to choose Me today.'
For me and you, it may not be our possessions. It might be our freedom, time, or independence that we're unwilling to surrender. However whatever the Lord is putting His finger on in our lives, it's at that place He's calling us to make a decision that only He can make. I'm feeling thrilled to have been chosen by Him.
Learning to Choose,
Ron Mehl"