Choices
Every day we are faced with a never-ending stream of choices and decisions from the moment we crawl out of bed in the morning. Do we hit the snooze button a second time? Do we stop by QT for coffee? Do we answer that text now or put it off until later? Do we press our luck and rush on through the yellow light? Some suggest that we make as many as 35,000 decisions each day. Certainly not every choice is the same, but as John Maxwell put it… “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.”
There is a story about choices in the Gospel of Luke and it goes like this:
“As Jesus and his disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you (don’t you care) that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
Luke 10:38 – 42
My take-away from this story is this: Choose Life-Giving things. I don’t believe Martha was wrong for choosing to cook dinner for everyone. By the way, it was Martha who invited Jesus over in the first place. Yet, it was Mary’s choice to sit, listen and be with Jesus that, in the moment, was the better choice and was not going to be taken away from her.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Matthew 6:33
Don’t let your “To-Do” list overshadow the “Should-Do” list. When I take time each day to sit with Jesus and get quiet at His feet, I find a calm assurance of His love and grace that sustains me for the day. When I take time to listen to what He says and read His Word, I find strength to handle my exhausting schedule. It’s there I find hope and wisdom to handle the many demands of the day. It is at His feet where my priorities get aligned with His Kingdom.
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
James 4:8
Take time today to draw near to God. Turn off the radio station and worship Him as you drive. Turn on a good sermon or listen to good Scriptural teaching that will be Life-Giving to you. When you do, you will find that God draws near to you and blesses your day.
God bless you,
Pastor Todd
