You Pick

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:15 (NIV)



If there is one thing American’s have learned through this global pandemic its that we don’t want other people making our choices for us. I truly believe more and more people have come to appreciate the last couple of months that God created each of us with free will for a reason, and our own health and well being was one of them. I read an epigram the other day that said, “Trials are temporary but bad decisions last a lot longer.” Joshua understood completely that there is no greater decision the human heart must make than the one regarding our personal relationship with our Creator. It’s the most important decision a person will ever make in their lifetime, as that one choice will impact every other decision a person will make. You might say that what we believe about God is a matter of life and death.

Joshua understood that the life of a follower of God is a life of dedicated service to Him. Singer and song writer Bob Dylan sang a hit song that made the point well, “You Gotta Serve Somebody” and it’s true. Everybody serves somebody. Those who are the most satisfied in this life are the ones who choose to serve God first and foremost and then others in His name.

Choosing to serve the Lord is not a one time choice that we make. On the contrary, choosing the Lord and serving Him is living in a constant state of, “Not my will but Yours be done.” The gods, “beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites” that Joshua refers to are all the false gods of this world that never deliver on what they promise as they can’t since they are man made. There is only one true God who is faithful to His promises, only one true God that was not limited to a territory or a region like the false gods of this world. Joshua chose to serve the LORD, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord of all creation. You and I are wise when we make that same choice too!

The best choice you and I can make today is to choose of our own free will to serve the Lord. It’s the most freeing decision we can possibly make regarding our personal fulfillment. When we chose to serve the Lord our will aligns with His will and our desires become His desires. When we actively choose to serve the Lord we no longer are seeking to get things from Him, but more important, we are seeking to get closer to Him. You see, friend, the Father didn’t save us to make us His slaves. Thats what the false gods of the world require. The Lord wants us to choose Him for He knows when we do we are finally set free. Free to enjoy life as it was intended to be, as a child of God walking with the Lord each day. Like the old credit card commercial would say, “Don’t leave home without it.” Don’t leave home without Jesus today. The choice is yours!


“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:17  


I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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