THIS day

As I have been studying this week's Bible Lesson on Adam and Fallen Man I have noticed all the ways one can apply the command of the Golden Text:

                                 ...choose ye this day whom ye will serve.

We are to choose life, to choose the blessing of Genesis One over the cursing of Genesis Two, choose whom we will serve, God or matter.  But as the week has gone along I also noticed something in the Golden Text that carried over to the Responsive Reading. This day. We are make our choice THIS day.

That is brought out beautifully in the story of Jesus and the man beside the Pool of Bethesda. The man was discouraged and frustrated because he could not walk and had no one to help him be the first to the pool for healing. Jesus gives him a choice. Does he want to be healed? Good. Get up and walk THIS day. Right now. We do not have to wait for healing, it is ours THIS day, should we make that choice.

What are we choosing?

To obey the Commandments and keep them. Obey them willingly and joyfully THIS day.

Choose life and good. Affirm often that life is good, your life is good. everyone's life is good.

Choose whom ye will serve. How are you serving God THIS day? Did you make the effort to get to church last night? Are you pondering the citations read from the desk? Are you sending out mental thank you notes to those who testified?

Choose the man and woman from Genesis One, made in the image and likeness of God, the God who is all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting and all-wise. Deny the existence of any other concept of God as punishing, vindictive, apathetic, etc..

Choose to believe in Jesus over Adam. Which one was real?

Choose to understand that the serpent, even swollen to the size of a great red dragon, has already been defeated and cast out. It cannot return to frighten or threaten you.

Imagine my delight when I turned to the Thanksgiving Lesson and found this:

                      ...who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

We all  must be, and we must do it THIS day, and every day.