Choices
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)
Years ago, I heard an amazing story that may be true or it may be a parable, but either way it’s a great story. There was a wealthy man who had a son, whom he loved dearly. His wife died in childbirth and he never remarried. He was a lover of art and he taught his son to love fine art. Because he was wealthy, he and his son worked to amass a valuable private collection of priceless works of art. When he was old enough, the son joined the Marines and was sent to Vietnam. He was killed in action and the father’s heart was broken. A few months after he buried his only son, a man knocked on his door. He had a large wrapped package in his hands. When the father opened the door he said, “Sir, I knew your son. We were in the same platoon, and he was my best buddy. I’m an amateur artist, so we had many discussions about art. It’s not very good, but I painted a portrait of your son from a photograph I took, and I’d like for you to have it.” The man was touched and tried to pay the artist, but he refused any payment. He said, “I painted him because he was my friend.” Although the picture wasn’t that good, the proud father displayed it in a prominent place.
Several years later, the wealthy man died, and his works of art were to be auctioned off. There was millions of dollars worth of art to be sold. Art dealers crowded the home wanting to bid on the Van Goghs and the Monets. The soldier-artist was there, as well, but he was too poor to bid. The lawyer announced to the crowd that before any of the valuable pieces of art were auctioned off, the deceased had left instructions that the portrait of his son must be auctioned off first. The impatient art dealers complained and said “Get on with it. Get that picture out of the way so we can bid on the real art!” The auctioneer held up the painting and said, “Who’ll you give me $100 for the picture of the son?” No one replied. Finally, the soldier friend who painted the portrait said, “I’ll give you $20 for it.” The auctioneer said, “$20 once, $20 twice, sold for $20.” The artist bought back his own painting because he still felt a great fondness for the man’s son. At that moment, the rich man’s attorney stepped to front and announced to the crowd. Ladies and gentlemen, there will no more bidding. My client left secret and specific instructions that whoever bought the painting of his son would receive all the other works of art at no additional charge. So, the gentleman who bought the picture of his son also receives the other pieces of art. To quote the words in his last will and testament, he wrote, ‘Whoever chooses my son will be rewarded with the entirety of my estate.’ This concludes the auction.”
Choices. Life is inescapably filled with them. If you had the choice, would you choose to go through a day without making a choice? In so doing, you would be choosing. See what I mean? It’s impossible to live without choosing. Nobody can choose not to choose. Choosing defines the very essence of our existence. Our existence is more than instinctive reaction to our environment. God made us all with intellect and free will and we exercise it hundreds, perhaps thousands of times everyday. We make choices – some good, some not so good. Each choice we make shapes and impacts us in a different way. We make our choices - then our choices make us.
In the passage above Joshua is calling his people to make a choice. At this point in his life Joshua is an old man. He’d seen a lot in his lifetime. His early years were spent in service to Israel’s first great leader, Moses. A good portion of his life was spent leading God’s people though numerous battles in the Promised Land. He’d seen the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the long dreadful trip through the wilderness. He’d seen the power of God part the Jordan River, and crumble the walls of Jericho. He saw the punishment of Achan after his sin and then the restoration of the blessing and presence of God. He carried the scars of a hundred battles and possessed a wisdom that only comes from experiencing the results of thousands upon thousands of choices.
Now he is old and near the end of his life. He gathers his people to give his final address as their leader. He looks back over a lifetime of experience and realizes there is one choice that stands supreme over every other decision in life. It’s the one choice every person must make: “Whom will you serve?” Implications from this one decision will dramatically impact every area and every other choice in life. Will you serve yourself? Some false god? Some form of religion? Or will you choose to serve the One who commands life into existence and sustains it by His incomprehensible power? Will you choose to trust in His Word, and believe that He always has your best interest in mind? Will you have faith to move forward despite the fact that giants await you? Will you serve with real commitment when both body and mind are tired? Will you choose the narrow road even while the world mocks you and the flesh cries out with its desires? When your heart breaks over some hurtful disappointment, will you still choose to give Him praise? Will you choose to be faithful even when resources seem to dry up and the future looks grim? Will you trust Him in the midst of unexpected change? Will you still give Him praise when grief overwhelms? Will you still follow, even He when He directs you onto a path you would not have chosen for yourself? Will you trust in His sovereignty? Walk with Him joyfully? Submit to Him obediently? Commit to His purity? Worship Him exclusively? Whom will you serve?
Life is filled with choices. Now it’s your time to choose. You can ignore the message of this little note or you can stop for a moment and say a brief little prayer: “Jesus, I choose you.”
Choose wisely.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
Years ago, I heard an amazing story that may be true or it may be a parable, but either way it’s a great story. There was a wealthy man who had a son, whom he loved dearly. His wife died in childbirth and he never remarried. He was a lover of art and he taught his son to love fine art. Because he was wealthy, he and his son worked to amass a valuable private collection of priceless works of art. When he was old enough, the son joined the Marines and was sent to Vietnam. He was killed in action and the father’s heart was broken. A few months after he buried his only son, a man knocked on his door. He had a large wrapped package in his hands. When the father opened the door he said, “Sir, I knew your son. We were in the same platoon, and he was my best buddy. I’m an amateur artist, so we had many discussions about art. It’s not very good, but I painted a portrait of your son from a photograph I took, and I’d like for you to have it.” The man was touched and tried to pay the artist, but he refused any payment. He said, “I painted him because he was my friend.” Although the picture wasn’t that good, the proud father displayed it in a prominent place.
Several years later, the wealthy man died, and his works of art were to be auctioned off. There was millions of dollars worth of art to be sold. Art dealers crowded the home wanting to bid on the Van Goghs and the Monets. The soldier-artist was there, as well, but he was too poor to bid. The lawyer announced to the crowd that before any of the valuable pieces of art were auctioned off, the deceased had left instructions that the portrait of his son must be auctioned off first. The impatient art dealers complained and said “Get on with it. Get that picture out of the way so we can bid on the real art!” The auctioneer held up the painting and said, “Who’ll you give me $100 for the picture of the son?” No one replied. Finally, the soldier friend who painted the portrait said, “I’ll give you $20 for it.” The auctioneer said, “$20 once, $20 twice, sold for $20.” The artist bought back his own painting because he still felt a great fondness for the man’s son. At that moment, the rich man’s attorney stepped to front and announced to the crowd. Ladies and gentlemen, there will no more bidding. My client left secret and specific instructions that whoever bought the painting of his son would receive all the other works of art at no additional charge. So, the gentleman who bought the picture of his son also receives the other pieces of art. To quote the words in his last will and testament, he wrote, ‘Whoever chooses my son will be rewarded with the entirety of my estate.’ This concludes the auction.”
Choices. Life is inescapably filled with them. If you had the choice, would you choose to go through a day without making a choice? In so doing, you would be choosing. See what I mean? It’s impossible to live without choosing. Nobody can choose not to choose. Choosing defines the very essence of our existence. Our existence is more than instinctive reaction to our environment. God made us all with intellect and free will and we exercise it hundreds, perhaps thousands of times everyday. We make choices – some good, some not so good. Each choice we make shapes and impacts us in a different way. We make our choices - then our choices make us.
In the passage above Joshua is calling his people to make a choice. At this point in his life Joshua is an old man. He’d seen a lot in his lifetime. His early years were spent in service to Israel’s first great leader, Moses. A good portion of his life was spent leading God’s people though numerous battles in the Promised Land. He’d seen the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the long dreadful trip through the wilderness. He’d seen the power of God part the Jordan River, and crumble the walls of Jericho. He saw the punishment of Achan after his sin and then the restoration of the blessing and presence of God. He carried the scars of a hundred battles and possessed a wisdom that only comes from experiencing the results of thousands upon thousands of choices.
Now he is old and near the end of his life. He gathers his people to give his final address as their leader. He looks back over a lifetime of experience and realizes there is one choice that stands supreme over every other decision in life. It’s the one choice every person must make: “Whom will you serve?” Implications from this one decision will dramatically impact every area and every other choice in life. Will you serve yourself? Some false god? Some form of religion? Or will you choose to serve the One who commands life into existence and sustains it by His incomprehensible power? Will you choose to trust in His Word, and believe that He always has your best interest in mind? Will you have faith to move forward despite the fact that giants await you? Will you serve with real commitment when both body and mind are tired? Will you choose the narrow road even while the world mocks you and the flesh cries out with its desires? When your heart breaks over some hurtful disappointment, will you still choose to give Him praise? Will you choose to be faithful even when resources seem to dry up and the future looks grim? Will you trust Him in the midst of unexpected change? Will you still give Him praise when grief overwhelms? Will you still follow, even He when He directs you onto a path you would not have chosen for yourself? Will you trust in His sovereignty? Walk with Him joyfully? Submit to Him obediently? Commit to His purity? Worship Him exclusively? Whom will you serve?
Life is filled with choices. Now it’s your time to choose. You can ignore the message of this little note or you can stop for a moment and say a brief little prayer: “Jesus, I choose you.”
Choose wisely.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 2:35 PM
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