You choose

        This, believe it or not, was a thriving, bright green plant with lots of potential for lovely blooms only a few shorts days ago-

       There's an equally pathetically desiccated one to match on the other side of the stoop.  Shockingly, I paid good money for these two formerly beautiful plants, but I forgot one very crucial thing:
        You've got to water what you want to flourish.
        Yeah, yeah, I've got a brown thumb, but I really can't blame this cruel plant abuse on my lack of gardening acumen.  Nope, it's simply failing to take the simplest, most critical action necessary for growth and flourishing--watering.  Geez.  This is especially necessary when the temperature, day after day, hovers in the upper 90's.
        Lord, I needed this reminder.  If we want to experience the joy, peace, hope, and love of the Lord, then we better be regularly watering our souls in His Word.  If we want to enjoy an abundance of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then we need a regular dose of His life-giving, refreshing promises.  If we want to possess the power to love the unlovely, to accomplish the work we've been given, and to do it all to the glory of God, then we sure better be pouring His soul-saturating, grace-giving, energy-empowering supernatural Scriptures all over our often parched hearts and minds.
       But here's the thing: we daily have the choice.  With what will we feed our souls?  The junk food of the world or the perfect nourishment of God's promises.  Will we slowly starve our minds of the nourishment that brings us peace in the midst of storms and joy even in the trenches...or will we fill and fill and refill with that life-sustaining, glory-revealing water of His Word?
       Yes, life is busy.  Yes, we all face challenges and heartbreaks and frustrations.  But we all have the choice.  You have the choice.
       You can choose today which it will be.
       "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil." (Dt.30:15)
       Today, we each have the choice--beginning, most critically, with what we will use to water our souls--of life and good or death and evil.  And to not consciously choose God's Word means, by default, that your heart will be shriveling and shaping into the world's negative mold.
        It begins with one seemingly small choice to choose God's Word rather than that magazine or that TV program or that iphone.  Choosing to read and then repeat to ourselves the promises of God's love and faithfulness rather than those whispers of doubt and discouragement.  Choosing to rehearse God's goodness rather than rehashing frustrations.  Choosing gratitude for who God is and what He has done rather than grumbling about the few things we lack.
       But it all starts with choosing His Word over the world.
      "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
       Oh Father, help us to choose You this day.  To choose Life.  To choose to be watered and nourished by Your beautiful, supernatural Word that we might flourish by Your grace and to Your glory.
       To God be the glory.