The Choice

"But if you refuse to serve the LORD,

then choose today whom you will serve.

Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served

beyond the Euphrates?

Or will it be the gods of the Amorites 

in whose land you now live?

But as for me and my family,

we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:15 NLT

It was a horrible choice to face.  The young Polish mother was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp with her two young children.  Upon arrival, she was forced to choose whether it would be her son or her daughter who would be killed in the gas chambers.  Only one would be allowed to live, and in their cruelty, the Nazi guards compelled the mother to elect who would survive.

While my decision is not as heart-wrenching as this one depicted in the 1982 movie, "Sophie's Choice," I do have a clear choice to make.  In the same way that Joshua presented a choice to the people of Israel as to who they would serve, the Lord their God or the foreign gods, I have a similar decision to make.  I must be careful, though, not to do as the Israelites did:  They claimed to choose God, but also stubbornly clung to their old gods.  Joseph warned them to let go or God would turn from them and do them harm (v 20).

I must take this warning to heart and avoid giving my preference lip service.  When asked, "Whom today will I serve?", the answer I give must be sincere.

Foreign gods

He was nothing if not ambitious.  He felt pretty secure in his efforts, certain that his self-discipline in following the law would save him.  Still, he couldn't be sure.  So, the young man asked the Teacher as he passed through town.

"What is it I need to do to be saved?"

Jesus answered, "Well, if you insist on being saved by what you do, the requirement is this: Continually and perfectly follow the commandments."

"I'm in good standing, then, because all my life I have followed the commands you specified."

"Well then, if you truly want spiritual maturity, here is what you must do: Sell all you have and follow me."

This was a choice the wealthy young man was unwilling to make so he went away that day with a heavy heart.  The rich young ruler, while zealous in his quest to earn his way to heaven, didn't treasure Jesus enough to choose Him above all else (Paraphrased from Matthew 19:16-22).

I am not so different from this young man;  there is so much I value more than Jesus.  It could be worldly success which seems so important, my own self-interests that constantly stay before me, the pursuit of enough money to pay my bills and have a little left over to feel secure in the future, the hobbies or pastimes which are said to be healthy and beneficial; I am constantly faced with idols that I willingly worship.

In order to put away these captivating gods, I will need to purposefully turn away from them.  This means I could have to change my career goals so they line up more closely with God's plan for my life (Proverbs 3:5-6). I may also need to do a daily inventory of my heart, asking God to show me what is honoring to Him and what is simply there to motivate me to please myself (Psalm 139:23-24). 

While it is commendable to live in a fiscally responsible way, if I am looking to money to provide for my needs, I must instead rely on my heavenly Father who knows how to perfectly supply what is required for my life (Matthew 6:31-33).  It might also be necessary for me to ask of what I am unwilling to let go, no matter how good these pursuits might seem (Proverbs 14:12). Anything that gets between me and God, holds more weight than Him, or demands more attention than does the Lord is an idol. 

If I am to make the choice to follow Jesus, it is only an authentic choice if I put away any other gods.

The Lord our God

Amateur wrestling does not allow any maneuver that could cause bodily harm, whether intentional or not.  This includes full nelsons, forceful trips, headlocks, pulling a thumb or less than four fingers, or anything that restricts breathing or circulation.  The rules are there to protect the competitors and make sure everyone has the same chance to win.

A contest that excludes these kind of prohibitions is called a "no-holds-barred match."  As you can imagine, anything goes in these kind of bouts.  While I am not here to promote wrestling, or any other sport for that matter, there is a mindset found in this kind of competition that I can take on in my own walk with Jesus.

Instead of prohibiting certain acts of service, or proclaiming specific areas of my life as off-limits to God, a no-holds-barred approach would give Him complete access.  This means I would be willing to let God have His way in my life, letting Him choose my footsteps instead of me trying to be in control of my own destiny. While this kind of submission is not something that happens overnight, if He is Lord, I will see more of a desire to let Him lead as time goes by.

When I say I love God wholeheartedly but refuse to let go of the hurt a friend has caused, I am placing that area of my life off-limits to God.  If I say I will follow Jesus with everything I have, except if it means sacrificing my own welfare and comfort, then my proclamation is not sincere.  While I may mean it when I say that Jesus is Lord of my life, I can't make that claim sincerely if I'm angry about the suffering that sometimes is necessary for my sanctification. Thankfully, God leads us deeper and deeper into full and complete surrender as we grow in our relationship with Him.  

If I am to make the choice to follow Jesus, it is only an authentic choice if I submit more and more to Him as the days go on.

It is easy to say I will serve the Lord this day, but the choice I make is really made with my actions, not my words.  If it is to be a real choice, I will turn away from anything that distracts from the Lord, and I will wholeheartedly serve Him, taking a no-holds-barred approach. While I may not perfectly live this out as Jesus did, my desire to do so is what matters to God. In these ways, the choice I make will be apparent to anyone who is watching me live my life as they see the indwelling Spirit of God at work in me.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that the choice I make will honor God.

When do I say I want Jesus to be Lord, but withhold certain areas of my life from Him?

How am I worshiping idols in the way I spend my time?   


Originally published on March 11, 2014