Godly or Ungodly, You Choose - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 8, 2022

I've always marveled at the casting process for shows and plays. Sometimes, thousands of actors show up and give their very best to land a role. A role that in many cases, is devoid of their input and opinion. They take the script, interpret the words written into physical movement, vocal tone, and emotions. All to convince casting directors to let them pretend to be someone else. We also have an opportunity to play a role in our walk with the Lord. However, unlike the traditional Hollywood process, with God we get to choose the character we play. Now, the character options are pretty limited - we can play the godly character or the ungodly character. Ultimately, the choice is completely ours. Sometimes, we think there are more character options. Sure, but they all exist within the dichotomy expressed above - godly versus ungodly. Let's use some Biblical examples to fully paint the picture before us. Remember Moses? He played the godly character in the history of how the Israelites left enslavement. Pharaoh was the ungodly character. While Moses was humble and obedient before God, Pharaoh was proud and cocky, thinking he could negotiate, renege and do whatever he wanted. What was the end result? Moses, and the entire tribe of Israel, walked out of Egypt on the Red Sea's seabed while Pharaoh was flushed away by the same waters that stood still for God's people. We need to ask ourselves who we want to be in the proverbial story that God has written. It is a story that was completed at the beginning of creation and yet, God in His loving kindness has opted to allow each of us to choose what we will look like on that script of ink on a sheet of paper. Do you want to be meek Moses or proud Pharaoh? Do you want to be victorious Queen Esther or the dethroned Queen Vashti? Do you want to be Paul, who was humbled by the Lord into greatness or Judas who was humbled by satan into destruction? None of these people became who they were overnight. The final line of their story was written after a series of experiences and a stretch of time where they either opted to be committed to God, no matter what, or to fall cheaply for the snares of the devil. That pattern hasn't changed in the thousands of years that have passed since the people mentioned above walked the earth. And the decisions that lay before them lie before each of us this very day. The choice to trust God even in the face of mounting opposition. The choice to look to Him and not other sources of help when the walls are crashing in. The choice to abandon pride and rebellion for humility and submission to God, His word, and those He sends to speak to you. Let us remember that unlike the average actor, we can be who we want to be. We don't have to play the role of an imaginary character. We have a living script with real people whose experiences we can use to make better and godly choices today. Not tomorrow but today for why should we wait? I pray that each of us will choose to be the godly in the land. That we will reject that which wants us to think that such is impossible. And in so doing, God will be glorified and exalted, IJMN, Amen. PS: Given a last minute engagement, I likely will not be available during P&P at Noon EST today. I pray the Lord will lead you all in honoring Him with reverent praise and intercessory prayers for others. The Lord bless you!