This Day


"But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose this day 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 live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Nearly 31 years ago, I stood before God, family and friends and made a choice as did my sweetheart. "To love and to cherish as long as we both shall live." Honestly, there have been too many days where one or both of us didn't feel particularly loved or cherished. What's the deal? We chose that day so what's going on with this day? Perhaps there is a much tighter connection between that day and this day than we could have ever imagined.

When Joshua called the people of Israel to decision, he emphasized today, this day. Yesterday was over. Tomorrow was not promised. "Choose this day", he said. He was calling them to a decision about whom they would follow and serve. Specifically, which god. They chose the one true and living God who had delivered from them from bondage. The clear implication: With every "this day" God gives, the decision to choose again comes with it.

A day has been twenty four hours for quite awhile now. Sometimes, we wish they were longer, other times shorter. Yet, twenty fours it is. In my world and yours, these hours are precious. I've learned that if I don't take some of those hours to pray and think through the rest of them, I miss opportunities to maximize them for the really good stuff in life. Without reflection, I'll fail to make the very best choices, those we need to choose every day.

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