Devotionals
I've been thinking a lot about choices recently. During my Bible studies this week God kept bringing me back to that subject. We often don't realize just how deeply our choices can effect us and those around us. What if Esther had not chosen to risk her life and go to the king on behalf of her people. Millions of Jews would have been killed. But we often don't think about how God views our choices.
Take the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It's a story we all know well. Yet when was the last time we truly examined that story through new eyes. When we look at that story, we tend to think that the defining moment, the climax of the story is when God sends an angel into the fiery furnace with the three men to protect them. After all, that, to us, is the most awesome moment in the story because it goes beyond our human understanding. It also shows that God is the one in control. But did you ever stop to think about what part of the story is most important to God? Yes, He was happy He had the chance to save His children. Yes, He was happy that the king made a degree which made it safe to worship God. Those things were very important to Him, but the one moment that made Him the happiest and most proud was when three men who knew that if they stood up for what they believed in would surely die, did so anyway and with willing hearts. Their relationship with God and obedience to Him was more important than their own lives.
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Esther all made choices that might have cost them their lives. God might not ask that of you, but what is He asking? What if He asked you to give up that guy who you think might be The One? What if He asked you to forgo that new car you want? What if He asked you to give your hopes and your dreams? What would you do?
Back during the time the Bible was written young girls were given alabaster boxes as part of their dowries. They would put expensive perfume in the box and when a man came to their home to ask for their hand in marriage, they would break the box at his feet as a sign of respect and as a way of showing that this man now held their hopes and dreams. When the women in Mark 14 broke the alabaster box filled with perfume at Jesus feet, she as not only showing Him respect, she was offering Him all she had - her hopes and dreams.
Everyday we have choices to make. Some choices are so deeply engrained we don't even realize we are making them. Maybe it's time we stopped and really looked at the choices we are making and see if they would be ones that would make our Creator proud and make Satan tremble. Maybe it's time to take all our choices, our hopes and dreams, and ourselves, put them in an alabaster box then lay them at the Masters feet and say as Jesus did, Not my will, O Lord, but yours.
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