The Valley of Decision

Daily Reading: Joel 3

Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3.14)

Devotional Thought: Do you want fries with that?  Paper or plastic?  Would you like a receipt?  Grilled, fried, or baked? 

Decisions!  Decisions!  Decisions!  How many times in a day do we have to make decisions?  People are always asking us questions, expecting us to make choices.  Joel spoke of the valley of decision.  There were multitudes in that valley. 

Typically, I have read this passage as if the multitudes were the ones making the decision.  That could be what it means, but when we consider the context of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where God “will sit to judge all the surrounding nations,” then we begin to see that these people are in the valley of decision, not to decide but rather to be decided upon!  That changes everything, doesn’t it?  The multitudes in the valley have already made their decision, now they are being judged.

There is coming a day - The Day of the Lord - when our decision-making will be over: "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy" (Revelation 22.11).  At that point, the die has been cast, and the only thing that will remain is for God, the Judge, to pronounce our fate.  "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done" (Revelation 20.11-12).

Make your decision today!

Prayer: Just as I am, without one plea; But that Thy blood was shed for me; And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee; O Lamb of God, I come! I come. Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come." Amen.  (Charlotte Elliot)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 71.1-8

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!

2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!

3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.