Choose this day whom you will serve.
(Joshua 24:15)
On my nightstand is the book I’m currently reading—Take Back Your Life by Levi Lusko.
Day 35 of the book is titled: Pencils Down. The author writes:
I can’t think of any two words I associate with a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach more than the phase “Pencils down.” It is the sound of a hundred tests I wasn’t prepared for. …But here’s the truth of it: life is a timed test. We’re all living against a deadline. The Bible tells us that a moment is coming when God will say “Pencils down” to each of us: “It is appointed for me to die once, but after that is judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
…Life really is like a vapor. This is true for us, those we love, and those we are meant to impact. …Potential has a short shelf life, an expiration date that is approachable. …This is a timed test. There is a deadline.
God is going to say, “Pencils down.” And anything you don’t tap into by the time this life ends shall remain undone forever. That is why Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work. . . while it is day, the night is coming when no one can work.” …I pray that no matter what life throws your way that you would honor God, give him space to move in your life, and serve him with all your heart until you stand before him face-to-face.
Prayer: Father, I declare war on the lie that says “put it off till tomorrow”—I want to step into the fullness of what you have for me during my time on earth. I give you my time, my talents, my surrender; use me to accomplish your will. Amen.
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It has been said that “tomorrow” is the busiest day of people’s lives. Perhaps sharing an excerpt from Levi Lusko’s book will help you address “head-on” what is holding you back from becoming “the best version of yourself”.
I asked myself—what does it look like to “honor God, give him space to move in your life, and serve him with all your heart until you stand before him face-to-face?”
From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus is inviting us to a call to action. A call to action is a statement designed to get an immediate response from the person reading or hearing it.
The scripture text—Choose this day whom you will serve—Joshua is calling the people of Israel to make a choice between serving other gods, or serving the one, and only true God. He invited them to a call to action because they were serving God halfheartedly.
It is impossible to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). God is passionate about us choosing this day to serve him because tomorrow is not promised. Not only that, if we choose not to serve God, he can raise someone else to do what he has called us to do.
What a humbling thought. When we see Jesus face-to-face, I don’t think a “what had happened was” story will be excusable.
The author shared that—Potential is Perishable—and asks these questions: When have you realized that your life is like a vapor? (James 4:14). How might this realization empower you as you take back your life and live out your destiny in community? What will you do today that will echo into eternity?
Insightful questions. I immediately thought what has made a difference for me in the realization that life is a vapor and how it has empowered me to take back my life and live out my destiny in community. It is:
Pursuing Jesus.
I am in awe how Jesus reveals my next steps when I am pursuing him. Back in August, I wrote a devotional and a journal titled—What’s On Your Nightstand?—where I highlighted what I was reading.
Every bookcase in my home is overflowing with books. It is my favorite pastime, especially when the book inspires me for God’s glory to become the best version of myself.
Last year I invited several ladies to my home for a book discussion. Just recently, one of the participants said she wanted to read the book again because it had impacted her life in so many ways.
With me missing preparing fancy finger food and making my home pretty and inviting for woman to enjoy time together, I decided about four months ago to start online book discussions. Limiting the group to eight women was the intimate, engaging, and safe place we needed to grow together in Jesus.
We finished our book, and we are about to start our next book discussion. We are so excited. Last week, we had a girls’ night in movie night. We laughed and had so much fun that my sides still hurt.
Hebrews 10:25 says: We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.
Jesus knew that my love for discipleship, Christian books, and gathering women together would be the next steps to live out my destiny in community.
I am not sure what else needs to happen with all that is going on to convince us to surrender ourselves totally to serve Jesus. It’s time.
There is unlimited potential in us to make an impact for God’s glory. If we could see what God sees in us, we wouldn’t put it off for tomorrow.
When Jesus and his ways becomes our focus, “pencils down” is no longer a pit in our stomachs, but a beautiful purpose for us to live the best version of ourselves.
Prayer: Jesus, we don’t know when God will say, "Pencils Down". To hear the Lord say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord is what we are living for. Jesus today and every day I choose to serve you. Yes Jesus, “I give you my time, my talents, my surrender; use me to accomplish your will”. In Jesus name. Amen.