Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15 NIV
Years ago, I wanted to have a silk dress but didn’t have money for the expensive fabric. Much later, I bought soft, shiny, silver-gray material for the beautiful dress that I wore to my wedding. It felt like a second skin on my body – elegant, light, and so good! This was a dress for only special occasions, so I rarely wore it and washed it only one or two times. One day, decided to wear it to the wedding celebration of a close friend, I took my silk dress from the closet to put on. But I could not zip it up. I held my breath, tucked my tummy, and let my husband struggle with the zipper. It didn’t look nice on me any more, so I had to say goodbye to it. The dress had not changed size, but I had. It was painful to have to give it away – a sad ending to my silk dress story.
Yet this happens elsewhere, does it not? A table we keep only for special occasions. A keepsake book that never gets read. A visit we postpone until it’s too late. Or we suffer from the past, fear for the future, but forget to live for, and enjoy the present. What we have saved can lose its value over time. So, we need to think about the word now.
„Now is the appointed time.“ The Israelites had to decide whether to go back to what they knew and disliked or to go forward into the unknown. And they needed to decide now.
I John 12:3-9 we read the story of Mary Magdalene, who in the past had felt dirty, abused, denied, and unworthy. But she did what her heart, impressed by God’s Spirit, told her to do now – anoint the feet of Jesus with expensive oil. Though criticized by the men, she gave her now to Jesus. Now was her time – and it was also His time to give her back her God-given worth.
We women can do things that men cannot; men can do things that women cannot do. Let us recognize our true God-given worth and do what He asks us to do. Let us change our habits now. So let us not wait until the dress doesn’Öt fit any more or until it is too late for that visit. Let us not wait until the marriage is in pieces. Let us not wait until we have forgotten what we liked – or until we have lost ourselves. Let us be salt and light! Let us remember the past and count our present blessings. Let’s be courageous. Now!
Notes of Joy © 2017 by Pacific Press Publishing Association