Romans 12:2, Joshua 24:15, John 6:60-69, Romans 1:16

Jeff Cutts

In our youth group recently we've been reflecting a lot on Romans 12:2 where it says, "Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect". God's plan from the beginning for us has been good, pleasing and perfect. His plan has been to live with us, and us with Him, to be in relationship with us.

The world will tell us just the opposite. You may have heard opinions like these: "There is no God, no creation, it's all an accident, chance.....in the beginning an infinitely small and infinitely hot particle of nothing exploded in a big bang, and from that everything came about. Therefore you and I are a mistake. Life has no meaning. In fact the chair you are sitting on has more meaning than you since it at least was made for a purpose".

Depressing eh?

No wonder so much meaningless suffering, violence and pain takes place on the earth and in people's lives - if it is all meaningless we'll live like we and others have no value.

However.....You are here for a purpose. You are not meaningless.

God is interested in you, has a plan for you, a love for you, wants to know you and for you to know Him.

I don't know what you personally believe, but the Bible in Joshua 24:15 says 'Choose this day who you will serve....as for me I will serve the Lord.'

Joshua's life journey involved deliverance from slavery, being sent as a spy, wandering for 40 years in the desert, being Moses' right hand man and successor, leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. His attitude was that he was going to serve the Lord no matter what anyone else was going to do. Your life may not be quite as high powered as Joshua's, but what about you?

During the time of Jesus, many disciples deserted Him because he was talking about hard and challenging things like taking up our cross daily, that a life following him would not always be a bed of roses. Jesus asked the 12 - his closest disciples- are you also going to leave? (John 6:60-69). Simon Peter replied, 'Lord to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life, you are God's son'.

If we'll not follow Jesus, to whom will we go? He is the Holy One of God. He has words of eternal life. Without him it's meaningless!

I believe God has a good, pleasing and perfect plan for you. You are not here by accident. He is calling for people who will follow Him no matter what, who will follow him even if others desert him.

Bob Dylan sang a song, that who ever you are, 'you gotta serve somebody... it may be the devil, it may be the Lord but you gotta serve somebody'. Who are you going to serve? This is the challenge for you today.

Finally with this challenge in mind, Romans 1:16 says 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.'

So make the choice, don't sit on the fence. I pray that you find encouragement to endure, to follow Jesus faithfully, to choose to serve Him unashamedly!

You've gotta serve somebody, who is it going to be?