Only for My King: Days

The first chapter of Only for My King discusses dedicating our lives to the Lord. Chapter Two asks "What about today? Who are you serving in the little daily choices?"

...Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...(Joshua 24:15)

When I wake up each morning, the first choice I make is whether to make coffee or tea. If I choose coffee, then I select either the French press for freshly ground coffee beans or the ibrik for Greek coffee. If I'm craving tea, I open the tea drawer to choose between British or Irish or South American while the electric kettle heats the water and I preheat the teapot. These are the first of many choices I make each day. Joshua 24:15 reminds me of a very important daily decision: who am I serving today?

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. (Psalm 3:5)

The Lord is the creator of the new day, the sustainer of my life—without Him there wouldn't be a sunrise. Surrendering my day to the Lord means serving Him today and communicating with Him constantly. If I am going to live a consecrated life, it's going to happen one day at a time. To do that, I need to keep in contact with Him, walking with Him, one step at a time. The Apostle Peter's statements in Matthew 16 show us a vivid picture of walking with Jesus one moment and being completely out of step the next.

"But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!"
And Jesus responded, "Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven...”
From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, "Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!"
But He turned and told Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you're not thinking about God's concerns, but man's."
(Matthew 16:15-17, 21-23)

Peter was, of course, a follower of Jesus, and in the first situation here, Jesus asked His followers who they thought He was. Peter knew! Peter had been walking with Jesus and listening to Him, and thereby listening to the Father too.
But in the second conversation, Peter heard what Jesus said and immediately contradicted Him. Peter thought he knew the rest of the story so he told Jesus how it should happen, in his opinion. Jesus did not take this lightly! Peter, though walking with Jesus physically, wasn't in tune with Him spiritually at that moment.
I am grateful that these situations are placed together in the book of Matthew. They remind me that I need to stay in constant contact with the Lord, because temptation comes constantly; Peter experienced it and so will I. But I know the Light of the world, who calls me and enables me to walk in the light, to walk worthy of Him, and to follow His plan for my life.

Only for my King will be available to purchase in September.