John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. (NIV)

My family has a wonderful tradition every Saturday morning. We gather in the car and head out to our favorite local diner for a hearty breakfast. What a delight it is to open the plentiful menu, with so many great choices to fill our bellies.

But, once the menus are passed out, my husband politely thanks the wait staff and then closes his menu. After all, he doesn’t even have to look. He already knows what he wants to have. When the fresh smile of the waitress appears, he smiles back and says…B1 with apple, please. And, with a twinkling in his eye, he nods as she writes down his request. Every week it’s the same order. Creamed chipped beef on white toast, side of home fries and a glass of apple juice. Hey, when they see us coming in the door, the kitchen staff must already be getting a large scoop of the creamy mixture ready to adorn the plate. How easy is that!

Now, as this is going on, I am desperately searching the menu up and down. So many choices and each one more delicious than the next. How shall I mix it up this Saturday morning? Maybe I’ll order a Belgium waffle, but with a side order of pork roll instead of bacon? Or, the every popular Southwestern omelet may just do the trick today. Yet, the healthy choice of a grapefruit and a side of cottage cheese may be just perfect? Some mornings, it is most difficult to choose, but I am so thankful to have a choice.

Now, just think if God decided to give each of us the exact same thing to do over and over again, day in and day out. How hard it would be to keep up the excitement and thankfulness for the task before us. Soon, weariness would set in and it would become mundane, or worse, boring.

Oh, but our God wants so much more for us than this. He offers a menu overflowing with wonderful opportunities to serve and glorify Him. Perhaps today is the day He is asking you to go and share a hug and smile with a friend who is hurting. Or, maybe there is a place you can go to offer your hands to help out with a community project. And, I know there is always a selection from God that includes sharing His word with those that don’t know Jesus. So many choices for us and all handpicked by our precious LORD. Never the same ‘ole thing, but a new and fresh blessing for us to receive.

So, as you read your Bible, search your heart and ask God to show you what’s on His menu for you today. Find encouragement in the pages from the many examples of servants He had handpicked, just like you, to go and do His Kingdom work. And, be thankful that we just don’t have to order B1 with apple anymore!

Diane Check calvarycheck@comcast.net