by Pastor Dr. Chuck Jarvis
Years ago, there was a game show on television called "Let's Make A Deal". Monte Hall was the host and the contestants were people in the audience, many of whom were dressed up in various costumes. The more unique or even outrageous the costume, the more likely it was that Monte would pick you to "make a deal".
Whoever was picked was given the opportunity to choose between three doors or whatever Monte may have in his pocket, many times a significant amount of cash. When faced with the choice, often the contestant or contestants would show a great deal of anxiousness, not knowing whether to pick door #1 or door #2 or door #3. And then, if offered, there was the choice to take some amount of money from Monte to call the whole thing off.
What a decision! The contestant couldn't see what was behind any of the doors and the rest of the audience was compounding the difficulty of the choice by shouting out their multiple opinions on what door should be chosen or whether the money offered by Monte should be taken. As a young boy in front of our TV in our home, I was even shouting out what choice I thought should be made, as if I could be heard thousands of miles away.
Life is filled with choices. Some minor, some major, some funny and ridiculous, others serious and extremely important. In the case of the latter, often a great deal of research has to be done before the proper choice can be made. That's because there is uncertainty and lack of knowledge. And there is often the anxiety that goes with not really knowing for sure which choice is the right one to make.
As Christians, we are faced with many choices. Some are somewhat insignificant, others are very significant. Some need to be made daily, others are made maybe once in a lifetime. They can be choices that every human being needs to make, like what to eat, what to wear, or where to live. But others are of a more spiritual nature, choices regarding the thoughts I have, the actions I engage in, and the way I treat people, just to name a few.
But there is one choice that is most important for the Christian. It is a choice that supersedes all others. In fact, it is a choice that forms the basis for all other choices to be made by a Christian. If this most important choice is not made and made properly, then other choices to follow will likely result in disappointment and failure. That most important choice for the Christian is whether or not to serve the Lord.
It is this choice that Joshua put before the people of Israel in the book of Joshua chapter 24. "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve", he says. Will it be the gods of the enemies you have defeated or the God of heaven and earth, your God, who has fulfilled His promise and given you this great and bountiful land, the land of Canaan. Joshua had already made his choice and that of his family's. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." was his commitment.
I would submit to you that this is a most important choice for you and I as well. Will we serve ourselves and the things of this world or, like Joshua, will we serve the Lord our God? Will we go through life living for the things that satisfy us in the here and now? Or will we choose to make the effort to live our lives in such a way that glorifies God and not ourselves? As it was for Israel at this moment in their history, so it is for you and I in the here and now. Will we serve the Lord?
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