Choose this Day

It is always so exciting to me when I see how God works. Lately, I have grown distant from the Lord and as my life has gotten busier, I have set apart less and less time for developing my relationship with the Lord. I know the importance of reading my Bible and praying, but I just can't seem to have the discipline to set some time aside to truly listen to the Lord. Thankfully, my school has daily chapel services, and I am able to go on MWF. Today, our school president spoke on 1 Kings 18. A very unlikely chapter to find in a chapel service,  and an even more unlikely book to find something so convicting, but that speaks to the power of God's word! The verse that particularly stuck out to me was 1 Kings 18:21. This is just after Elijah had gathered all the people together and the baa worshippers to"battle it out" in hopes of determining the true God. This is what Elijah says: “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.(1 Kings 18:21 ESV) 
I have been guilty of "limping between two different opinions," or, as the NIV says, "wavering." What do I truly believe about God? The way I have been living shows that he is not that important to me or worth my time. Is he God? Do I truly believe this? If so, my life should reflect this!! Enough of this limping business. That is just weak, and doesn't give either party (false gods or true God) the attention and devotion they truly deserve.
Joshua addressed this same issue with the Isrealites earlier:

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15 ESV)
God lets us crazy, selfish, sinful human beings choose how we live our lives--we can either live it for him and find an abundant life full of joy and a peace which passes all understanding, or or we can live struggling to find satisfaction in the numerous false or counterfeit gods this world offers.
Continuing with this idea that what we believe about God effects how we live our lives, I was reminded of Matthew 13:44. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
(Matthew 13:44 ESV) Is His kingdom--and ultimately his glory--my obsession and my joy? Would I be willing to give up everything (which all passes away anyways) in light of this treasure that never fades? I think it's a fantastic trade and if anything, I am the one benefiting from it all! What a wonderfully awesome, gracious God we serve.
Perhaps you are like me, and are thinking to yourself "that's nice God, but how do I live now? What does that look like?" No worries friend, God has tons to say about this. That's why it's so important to keep reading his word daily as there is so much to learn! But one section that I feel really addresses this topic is 1 Peter 4:1-11. It's a long, but worthwhile read, and I challenge you to take some time and go through it on your own. Basically, Peter is addressing the believers and reminding them that we are not to live according to our flesh (our sinful desires) anymore, but rather we are to live in such a way that brings God the glory. The way we live our lives is going to look drastically different then the world around us. Peter even warns the reader that your friends are going to be surprised when you don't do the same things they do anymore. In all of this, we must live self-controlled lives full of love for others so that the glory goes back to Jesus. He is what makes this life worth living anyways, so why not live it all for him?!
I am so grateful that the Lord doesn't give up on me and that he uses his word to draw me back to him and convict me. I have so much to learn and I need to learn daily that the way I live my life is a choice--who will I serve today? "If the Lord is God, follow him..."