I was preaching a lesson on choices recently that led me to illustrate how familiar we are with making choices.  Several years ago, I was in a Country Kitchen restaurant with friends and family when I decided to order the popular “Barn Buster” breakfast.  Keep in mind this breakfast consists of four of each item.  The waitress was patient with me as she administered a series of questions in which I was to make a choice. 

She asked, “How do you want your eggs?”  I said, “Over easy.” 

She continued by asking “Would you like bacon or sausage?”  Well I’m kinda partial to sausage and told her as much…  She asked, “Would you like patties or links?”  My choice that day was patties… 

“Would you like gravy on your hash browns?”  I replied, “No, not today.” 

“Would you like pancakes or toast?”  I replied, “Well, with all of this, four pancakes might be a little much, so I’ll have the toast.”

“Will that be white or wheat?” she asked.   I had to chuckle when the order was finally placed.  That’s a lot of choices!! 

I suspect some of you are familiar with the TV show Let’s Make a Deal.  This show allows contestants to play games, taking chances and choosing whether they want to take this item or that item.  The hope is that perhaps a better deal will come their way.  At the end of the show those that have won prizes are asked to make one last choice and that is whether they’re willing to give up what they’ve won in order to go for the big deal.  If they do, there is one more choice to make, that being, Door #1, #2, or #3?

There are always going to be choices in our lives, some with greater consequences than others.  This was true even in the early days of God’s people Israel.  Before his death, when Moses was turning over the leadership to Joshua, he exhorted Israel to “Choose Life” by pursuing God and obeying His commands as they entered the land of Canaan… (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)  Likewise, when Joshua was nearing the end of his life, he also made a choice and declared as much to Israel when he said, “…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve;  whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

H. E. Fosdick said, “He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads.”  I am reminded of a national campaign years ago with billboard messages that were signed “GOD”.  One of those messages stated… “Will the road you’re on lead to me?”  The answer depends on the choices you make.  Choosy mothers may choose JIF, but choosy Christians, choose God! 

Copyright © 2019, Nolan P. Rutter

Leave a Reply

Recent Comments
    Reflections