And if it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 KJV
With these words, Joshua inspires the Israelites in choosing to serve the living God rather than false gods. Today, we have the same decision to make. We either choose to believe in Jesus and serve him, or we choose the broad road of destruction. As Christ says in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. WEB”
Mammon is material wealth. Bowing down to idols or pursuing worldly gain, we serve the desires of the flesh and the material creation rather than the Creator. As Christians, Jesus commands us to the service of God. We set aside our own desires and choose to submit to the will of God. In turn, the Lord promises to ensure that we have what we need. Christ says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
Torn Between God and the World
The Israelites were obviously torn between their loyalty to God and their desire to pursue worldly things. Some wanted to worship the idols of the past and others wanted to conform to the religious practices of the Amorites whose land they inhabited. These temporary, worldly pursuits promised them the brief comfort of an easier assimilation into their new home, but it alienated the people from the God that sustained them on the road to their promised land.
The first commandment given in the bible is found in Exodus 20:2-3 which reads, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. KJV” And yet, the Israelites tended to stray from obedience to God, preferring to have things their own way rather than trusting in the Lord.
Forgetting the Goodness of God
When things are going our way, we can easily forget the goodness of God. The Lord had fought the Israelites battles. He delivered them out of bondage, provided for their well-being, and gave them his law. In his leadership role, Joshua reminded the Israelites of these things to advise against straying from the God of their salvation.
Worldly interests can divide us today just as they did with the Israelites. We are influenced by culture and the behavior of others. The desires of the flesh are as tempting today as they were back then. Like Joshua, we need to set the proper example for our friends and family. Joshua said, “as for me and me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” These words encouraged the entire nation to commit to the God that bought them out of Egypt.
Prayer: ‘Father God, thank you for the wisdom and encouragement of your holy word. Forgive me for ever placing anything ahead of you in my life. I choose to follow you and you alone. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In Jesus name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Honor All Men
