My readings this morning have reminded me of the most important choice we have to make, reminding me of the familiar hymn, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus."
Though None Go With Me, I Still Will Follow
An Individual Choice
14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." -Joshua 24:14-15
I love this verse from Joshua, and I fondly sing the children's song in my head as I reread it. Choice is a powerful thing, any great pedagogue (educational theorist) will tell you that freedom of individual choice in learning is extremely motivating. For me, this was always the case. In 5th grade, I remember that I would always choose the "create your own" option for our writing activities.
That's why we need to remember the beauty of this most important choice that we have! It's first of all beautiful that God would choose us... for who are we to deserve such a beautiful gift as that which we are reminded of every Easter? But secondly, it is so amazing to think about the fact that we get to choose Him back. We are not completely His until we give our hearts to Him, serving Him and obeying Him. It is that choice that makes serving God a real joy... we have decided to love and obey and serve the Lord our God, the Lord Almighty. Even if others don't, it's a personal choice that we make to our Lord.
The World Behind Me, The Cross Before Me
A Life-Changing Choice
7John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
10"What should we do then?" the crowd asked.
11John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
12Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
13"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told
them. 14Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay."-Luke 3:7-14
This second verse is harder than the first, and rightly so. After we make that decision, our decision must be real and evident through a physical outward chance. (In James terminology, the works must compliment the faith.) We must bear good fruit. In our Luke Bible Study, we discussed that 'fruit' here might refer to several different things. 1) Bringing others to Christ 2) The fruits of the spirit from Galatians Or perhaps it is both or more encompassing than that. What is clear, is that it is a change, a good change. As these people come to be baptized, John the Baptist is clear to emphasize the importance of an outward change in their actions.
And the people who come to him are sincere. They want to know what they should do. How many of us continue to ask ourselves that same question. If we are really completely committed to choosing to serve God, then we should know that commitment (as any commitment) comes with a changes. We change, because there is something more important now... a need to serve the Lord. Our life-changing choice comes with life-changing action. Let's ask today: What should we do?
No Turning Back, No Turning Back
A Faithful Choice
But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."- Joshua 22:5
This sentiment is echoed throughout Joshua, but today the part that stood out to me was "hold fast to." It reminds me of a verse that I'm naturally thinking a lot about lately- "cleaving" to your husband/wife. This commitment, this important choice requires as much important individual consideration, willingness to change and complete dedication as that involved in marriage. And this choice is just as beautiful. In a way, a baptism is more like a marriage than we often admit.
What a beautiful, important and complete choice to serve the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind!
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