DAY 3: THE CHOICE IS YOURS
by Pastor Heiden Ratner
Sep. 3rd, 2025
“Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD…” – Proverbs 1:28–29
DEVOTION
Choices, choices. Every day is full of them. What to say yes to, what to say no to. Who to spend time with—or not. Some decisions are life-altering, requiring prayer, wisdom, and counsel. Others are small and even silly—like what to order at The Cheesecake Factory or which movie to click on Netflix. The other day I found myself standing in front of my closet, stuck on whether it was a polo day or a T-shirt day. After all that, I pulled out a long sleeve… on a 100-degree day in Las Vegas. Decisions, decisions.
But one decision stands above the rest: choosing the fear of the Lord. You don’t stumble into this by accident. You don’t just wake up one morning andhappen to live in it. The fear of the Lord is intentional. It’s a way of life, a mindset, an everyday choice.
Proverbs 1 paints the picture of people who ignored wisdom, and when they needed it most, it was nowhere to be found. Why? Because they refused to choose the fear of the Lord. Instead, they chose comfort over Christ, and the ways of the world over the Word. They forgot the timeless truth of Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” Walking in the fear of the Lord means daily choosing Christ, trusting that His way is better—even when it doesn’t make sense.
This is what Joshua had in mind when he declared, “Choose this day whom you will serve…” (Joshua 24:15a). It’s what Moses urged when he said, “Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19b). It’s what Peter did when he chose to return to Jesus instead of staying in his guilt and shame. And ultimately, it’s what Jesus did when He chose to go to the cross and pay for the sins of the world.
Every one of us has choices to make. Make the best one today. Choose the fear of the Lord—because He is with you, for you, and in control.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13–14
PRAYER
Father, today I acknowledge my dependence on You. I need You, Lord. I’m not wise enough or strong enough to do this on my own. Fill me with wisdom, insight, and knowledge from above. Convict me when I fail to choose the fear of You. I know Your ways are better, and I trust Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.
CHALLENGE
Pause before making a decision today—big or small—and ask, “Does this reflect the fear of the Lord?” Choose His way, even in the little things.
