Choose

Whom to Serve
Joshua 23:1-2:33

"Now respect the Lord and serve him fully and sincerely.... But if you don't want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:14-15)

This has always been a favorite verse of mine, and I remember singing it in the summer bible school by the beach. We are called to choose. Among Joshua's last words, he is asking the people to really make the choice, between the gods that were worshipped on the other side of the Euphrates and the Lord God. There are things we have to leave behind when we choose to worship the Lord God above all, remembering that we serve Him... not our own desires, our ambition, our goals, our needs. Lord, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, and the Lord only.

Whom to Praise
Psalm 47:1-9

"Clap your hands, all you people. Shout to God with joy. The Lord Most High is wonderful. He is King over all the earth!" (Psalm 47:1-2)

Another beautiful Psalm for this morning, and it is calling me to praise the Lord God of all... King of all the earth- the mountains, the wildflowers, my friends, my family, everyone and everything... even cats. A friend was just sharing with me this morning how his cat is a source of stress-relief. Lord, you even give blessings to us in housepets. May I sing Your praises all day long. I forget too easily, when my words should be filled with exclamation points just like this song.... fill me with Your abundant joy, Lord.

The Narrow Door
Luke 13:22-35

"Jesus said, 'Try hard to enter through the narrow door, because many people will try to enter there, but they will not be able." (Luke 13:24)

I choose to serve and praise God, but I also choose to enter the narrow gate to the kingdom of heaven... following 'the straight and narrow.' Lord, I try to follow Your ways and do what is honoring to You, because I no longer live for myself only. I live to serve You, Lord my God... and I trust in You to guide me to that narrow door... for I admit that alone on my own power I cannot, but only by Your grace and the Holy Spirit that may teach me Yours ways.