PAINT THE PICTURE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Joshua asked a pointed question.

You must choose for yourselves today. 

Today you must decide who you will serve…You must choose for yourselves. 

(from Joshua 24:14-15 ERV)

That verse continues to what many of us have posted in our homes or have on our desks…

…as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.

But I wanted to focus on the “choose for yourselves” part of the verse.  Yesterday we were reminded that the slate had been cleared for today; that today is a clean canvas waiting to be painted with the decisions and activities of the day.  GOD has handed us the brush and given us the full palette of colors to pick from.  The question is will today be colored for Christ or not.

Joshua makes it clear.

Who we will serve, "how we will paint" if you will is UP TO US.  GOD doesn’t set the canvas with any paint by numbers He doesn’t dictate the art or artist.  Yes He hopes that what is painted will reflect His heart and His Spirit, but He leaves it to us to decide.

Sometimes I find that a little remarkable and disconcerting.

I know I am predisposed to SERVE me, not GOD.  I am predisposed to color today the way I want to color it.  I don’t inherently pause to consider how GOD might paint, it takes intentionality and thought for me to take that approach and sometimes I just wish GOD would leave some paint-by-numbers lines and shapes and direct the action.  I even would like Him to sometimes take over the painting and let me spectate.

But He doesn’t.

He wants our whole-hearted service today.

He wants our service to be OUR choice and not His.

He wants us to demonstrate our love and appreciate for Him without provocation or coercion.

For:

“…God, to know you is life. To SERVE You is freedom. To praise you is the soul's joy and delight. Guard me with the power of Your grace here and in all places. Now and at all times, forever. Amen.” ― Augustine of Hippo

Augustine gives us the true motivation for CHOOSING THIS DAY to SERVE the LORD. 

When we do we experience FREEDOM! 

When we do we don’t subject ourselves to the consequence of poor decisions, we don’t open ourselves to the shame and condemnation of the enemy. 

When we SERVE GOD our heart align with His, our choices align with His, our spirits become enriched and fulfilled.

So who will you serve?

…since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice (and SERVICE) to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him. This is the spiritual way for you to worship. Romans 12:1 (ICB)

All Christians are but God’s stewards. Everything we have is on loan from the Lord, entrusted to us for a while TO USE IN SERVING HIM. – John MacArthur

…it is by serving God and others that we store up heavenly treasures. Everyone gains; no one loses. – Randy Alcorn

And that paints a lovely picture. 

Have a blessed day of serving Him today!

I love you all!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)