Daily Devotional

-November 8, 2020-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

-Choosing To Serve The Lord-

“And if seems evil to you to serve the the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

(Joshua 24:15).

Joshua had decided long ago to serve the Lord. He had Caleb were the only two spies of the twelve that Moses sent out to spy the land of Canaan, that brought back a good report that they should go up and take possession of the land. The other ten men agreed that the land was bountiful and fruitful, a land flowing with milk and honey, but it was filled with giants living in fortified cities, and did not recommend fighting them.

Joshua and Caleb didn’t look at the size and strength of their enemies but at the size and strength of their God. They trusted fully in the Lord to win the victory and they won it, took possession of the land, and moved right into fully furnished homes in a fruitful land. Joshua told the people, “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14)! Israel throughout their history had a problem with idolatry. Though they had the true and living God, they worshipped idols.

Though we do not have idols in the form of gold, silver, wood, and other things that made idols out of, we have other idols today. An idol is anything that we put above the Lord. We have houses, cars, clothes, shoes, sports, TV, internet, movies, hobbies, money, and other material things. So often we call things “pastimes” whereas in reality they are “waste times.” The things on the aforementioned list are not bad in and of themselves, but can be idols if we aren’t careful and aware.

Joshua offered the people of Israel a choice to serve idols or to serve the living God. God never has forced anyone to follow and serve Him. He says, “ choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods that were on the other side of the River (i.e. that were in Egypt), or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” They had to make make the choice for themselves. Each person in the world must make the choice to receive Christ as Lord and Savior, or to reject Him. These are the only two choices, there is no gray area.

Joshua set a godly example and his words have become so known and powerful ever since, “But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Many Christians today, including yours truly, have these words on their doors, walls, cars, and other places. It has become our statement of faith for all to see. It is a good thing as long as we live by it in our daily lives. Words alone without actions to back them mean little.

The people responded to Joshua, “… We also will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:18). Instead of congratulating them, he warns them in Joshua 24:19-20, “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.” The people vehemently declare that they will serve the Lord. Joshua sets up a large stone as a witness to their decision to serve the Lord.

Unfortunately, their decision to serve the Lord was short lived. Joshua 24:31 says, “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.” We must pass on the teaching of Christ to our children for they must make their own choices to follow Christ. They must see Christ in our lives, we must be the examples to them.

What is your choice? Will you fear the Lord and serve Him? Is He the Lord of your life? He is a holy and jealous God. We can’t serve Him halfway or half heartedly. The song writer Ron Kenoly wrote, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord (oh yes). As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. We have counted the cost, we have made the choice; we will follow our God and obey His voice. From this day for the rest of our lives, we will serve the Lord. We will not bow to another god, we will have no gods but You. We will not serve two masters, we surrender our lives to you, we surrender our lives to You.”

Have a blessed day counting the cost and serving the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean