November 8, 2020
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
My earliest memories were as a toddler. I remember the house we lived in, our furniture, décor, and even other things. My mother told me from the things that I remembered, I had to be no more than 2-3 years old at the time.
One vivid memory that I’ve always had, was being 3 years old and at church with my Mom. Amongst some of my mother’s roles were evangelist missionary and musician. She was the piano/organ player for the church, and she was also the one to open up the church for the evening services and start prayer.
I remember being on my little knees praying on the hardwood floor and the pillow that my Mom used to give me to put under my knees for the long prayers. This was before the days of Children’s Church. It didn’t matter how young you were, you were going to learn how to pray and learn how to worship the Lord. And if you thought you were going to act up in church, well you were going to learn the consequences for your actions. I don’t recall that I or any of my siblings ever acted up in church.
At home is where I learned about right and wrong choices and the consequences for the choices we make. Being the youngest of 9 children, I got to sit back and watch and learn from the choices that my older siblings made. When I saw them get in trouble by my Mom, oh yeah, I understood even more there are consequences for the choices that you make and the importance of making wise choices.
I remember reading at 4 years old and boy did I love reading and still do to this day. I loved reading all sorts of books, but my favorite was reading the stories in the Bible. When I was 9 years old, my Mom bought us a set of Bible encyclopedias with all the Bible stories from A to Z. I would rather read them than even play with my friends.
I was intrigued by God and loved learning about Him, and I knew early on that I wanted to keep learning about Him forever. I knew that I wanted God to be a part of my life forever. And I especially loved the idea about Him being in my heart forever.
When I was little I remember my mother used to always say don’t put off today for tomorrow or don't put off til tomorrow what you can do today. I also used to hear Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. So, at 9 years old, I made the most important decision and choice of my life, I chose to give my life to the Lord. And although I’ve made some choices since then that I regretted, that is one choice that I have never regretted, and I never will.
But now, every time I read or hear Joshua 24:15, I'm reminded of my first husband. I separated from him and filed for divorce when I was 24 years old after discovering several instances of infidelity, including one with the pastor’s daughter, who was 16 at the time. He was 26. We ended up getting back together and I chose to forgive him and to honor God by moving forward with everything that I had. My husband and I made a promise to each other to give it all we had.
Since we no longer attended the church where he had the affair, I made it a point to start the new year off by finding a new church for me and the kids as my husband decided he was not going to worship with us. So, the first Sunday of the new year, January 1, 1989, my kids and I went to a new church where my son had been attending daycare. I really liked it and they did too. So, I decided that my kids and I would join.
Five weeks later on February 5th, when I woke up for church, my husband was sitting in the chair, dressed in a suit and tie. When I asked him why he was all dressed up he said because he was going to church with us. Fearing he would soon change his mind, I rushed to get myself and the kids ready for church.
We went to church and the pastor preached an urgent and dynamic message citing Joshua 24:15. He made an altar call and in a very unusual fashion, he would not stop asking people to come to the altar. He kept pointing in the section where we were sitting and said he didn’t know why, but he felt that God was urging him to keep asking someone in our section to give their heart to God. It was definitely not the usual altar call.
I asked my husband did he think that God was talking to him and he said no. I told him I thought differently and that God was speaking to him and that he needed to give his life to the Lord. He said no and when asked why, he just kept repeating he wasn’t ready. My heart sank as it was clear he was not going to give his life to the Lord at that moment.
On the way home we had a discussion about why he wouldn’t give his heart to the Lord, especially if he believed that Heaven and Hell were real, and he was missing out on his opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven with God. He just repeated he wasn’t ready and that he would be ready next Sunday. I told him that tomorrow or next Sunday was not promised to him or anyone, and for him to choose that day who he would serve because he may not have the chance anymore. He said next Sunday. Well he died Thursday, February 9th of a massive heart attack at 28 years old. He died at the woman’s house that he had been having an affair with for 5 years, unbeknownst to me, baby and all.
Life is full of choices. But I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the best choice that anyone can make is the choice to live for God. Who can take away your sins-nobody but God. Who can make you whole again- nobody but God. Who can heal you of sickness, and heal your broken heart- only God. Who has all the power, because He is the very definition of power, and who can give you power to move mountains- only God. Who can literally speak to the wind and storms and they obey, and who can speak to the storms in your life and silence them, nobody but God.
Who can love you with a love that the world has never known, who can give you peace beyond understanding, who can hold you in the very palm of His hands- only God. God is the only one who can stop time, give you more time, lengthen your days, make a way out of no way. And God is the only one that can turn your mess into a message, your test into a testimony and bring purpose out of your pain.
God is the only one who can fight all of your battles and He will win. God is the only who has defeated death Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. God is the only one who controls life and death. God is the only one who has power over Satan because God is the only Omnipotent God. God is the only one who is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all in one. He is the only One who is Alpha and Omega and beside Him there is no other. Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
I thank God for my Mom making the choice to take us to church and for her prayers that I heard that taught me how to pray. I thank God for everything that led to me making the choice to accept Him into my heart at 9 years old. And I thank Him for being with me in all the choices that I've made since then, both good and bad.
The most important choice anyone can make is to open the door to their heart, without delay, and accept Jesus’ invitation to live within their heart forever. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. No matter what happens in your life, no matter what obstacles may occur, with God, you can rest assured beyond a shadow of a doubt that you don’t have to worry about a thing because of that all-important choice to open the door to your heart, let Jesus in, and live for Him.
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You Lord for the power of choice. Lord, choosing to open the door of my heart to You is the best choice that I have ever made and I know it’s the best choice that anyone can make because You are God Almighty. You are everything good. You are everything great. You are everything powerful. You are everything right and everything righteous. You are everything just and true. You are the only one that can turn my mess into a message, my test into a testimony, and my pain into my purpose. Lord I haven’t always made the best choices and I thank You for Your patience, for Your love, for Your mercy, and for Your grace in those times. With each new day, I thank You for giving me another chance to make good choices that honor You. Lord, I ask that You continue to guide me Holy Spirit to make the best choices that bring glory and honor to Your name. I love You Lord and praise You with my whole heart.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
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