Choose Wisely

October 26, 2025
 
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius
Do you ever feel like you are not aging while the rest of the world is getting older?  I look around and I see that many of my friends have gray hair.  Those that do not, I am sure use some kind of “hide my gray” formula.  Yep, no aging for me!  Looking good Billy Ray, strong as a prize fighter, fast as lightning, fit and trim, no bulge around the middle, tack as a sharp, 😊 that would be me.  Then suddenly, I awake from my dream.
 
One of my older friends once told me when I was younger, “In the morning, it takes me a long time to put my toupee on, put my teeth in, and install my hearing aids.”  At the time he told me this, all I could do was laugh at him.  Now I understand that getting older does slow you down.  Except for putting in my contacts, I have none of the additional hardware my friend had to deal with each and every morning.  My friend continued by sharing, “Then after all that, I have to sit down and have a cigarette.  Then it's time for my afternoon nap.”  I don't smoke, but I sure understand having to sit down before I begin my morning, and have a cup of coffee to get me going. 
 
No more jumping out of bed at the crack of dawn, riding my bicycle eight miles, or running four.  However, as I age, it does seem that I am often up to pray and worship with the Lord way before dawn.  When I do rise early for that purpose, to be alone with the Lord, it is more gratifying and fulfilling than striving to be physically fit and in shape.  So, now I am in a conundrum.  Do I spend my hours trying to maintain my health and lengthen my life, when already Jesus has counted my days, or do I spend those hours in Bible study, prayer, and meditating upon the Lord?
  
God only gave you so many heartbeats, why waste them on exercise?  😊  Which one should I choose, physical fitness, or alone time with Jesus.  This is my decision.  I choose that which has eternal value.  However, I will also exercise because my body is God’s holy temple.  Since I can do two things at once, I will at the same time I exercise, worship my God.
 
The guardian knight in the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, told those who sought after the Holy Grail, to “choose wisely.”  So, what is your choice when it comes to spending time with God?  I pray you choose wisely, that which has eternal value.
 
Blessings… Pastor Allan
 
©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved