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by Carol Childress Opening
Too Many Choices? Store aisles are crowded with myriad items waiting for our selections. Car buying involves choices of make, model, color and options. Redecorating can be a nightmare. Who knew there were so many shades of any one color? Plans are made for college, career, marriage, family, health, savings, retirement and maybe even funeral plans. All require choices. Overwhelming? Sometimes. Too many choices? Perhaps. Making Choices People often mirror choices modeled by others, especially those they loved and admired who have served as mentors.
Who was Solomon's mentor? How does Solomon describe him? What traits would you look for in a mentor? Sometimes choices are made based on expectations-valid or perceived-of others, such as children, spouse, parents, friends, employers, society.
What did Martha expect of Mary? What can we learn from Jesus' response about Mary's choice? Messages from media, culture and society can also influence choices.
On what did Lot base his decision?
What did he fail to take into consideration? Why do choices that seem so right often turn out to be so wrong? Give examples. Making Right Choices In a world where some say there is no absolute truth, where right seems wrong and wrong seems right, our hearts and minds need to be focused on God-who He is, what He has done and continues to do in our lives. Following His commands in humble obedience and trusting in His promises, helps us make right choices. Read the following verses and note how they apply to making God-pleasing choices in a sinful world.
God Makes It Possible God does not leave us alone to make our own way through the maze of choices in our lives. Discover from the following verses how He equips, leads and blesses His children.
Closing People of all ages and situations make choices from morning to night of every day, for a lifetime. Choices range from the routine and insignificant to those that require deliberation and have eternal consequences. Some choices are easy, some difficult. In the midst of our choosing, God is with us through His Spirit, recreating, transforming and renewing. His Holy Spirit empowers us with wisdom, strength and courage to know and do what is good and pleasing in accord with His perfect will. Pray together David's words in Psalm 25:4-7: Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. Remember, O Lord, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You are good, O Lord. Amen.
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Sing "Oh,
that the Lord Would Guide My Ways" (LW 392, TLH
416, LBW 480) or "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us"
from The Other Song Book.