Serve

Joshua 24 includes the famous words that grace the walls of many present-day Christian homes: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Josh. 24:15, NIV), or, "As for my family and me, we will worship Yahweh" (HCSB). Many families have adopted Joshua's commitment as their own. 

The most important life choice anyone will ever make is their response to this fundamental question, "Who are you going to serve?" Will you serve God or Satan? In choosing whether life or death, faith or fear, the truth or the lie, the answer to that question will have temporary considerations and eternal consequences. 

At the midway point of Joshua 24, Joshua asked the Israelites that very question in his continued farewell address. The question came after Joshua reminded the nation of their history with God. At the beginning of the chapter, Joshua calls to their attention the time God took Abraham from the region beyond the Euphrates River. Then, Joshua reminded them that The Lord led them throughout the land of Canaan and multiplied their descendants. The Lord guided their conquest in the promised land when the Lord gave Israel a land for which they did not labor, cities they did not build, and provision from vineyards and olive groves they did not plant.

As Joshua made it clear to Israel, Friends, we need to heed today that there can not be a compromise in our religion or spiritual affiliation. God will not share His glory with another, and He had made this clear to His people in the first command He gave them, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Therefore, you shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2)."

Because we have our favorite pew or have been a member of "The Church" all of our lives does not denote our service to The Lord. On the contrary, service to follow the Lord is much more important. Christ further identified complete service when He said, "Take up your cross daily and follow Me. (Mark 8:34)“

There is no measurement for this choice of service. This choice requires the abandonment of myself, my personal rights, interests, and my self-will for His plans, rights, interests, and will. We are to identify with and plead as He did, "Father, Thy will not mine be done."

In the writing of the short epistle of 1 John, John wrote; And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this, we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 1 John 3:23-24. The progression is simple; believe, love one another, and keep His commandments; in doing so He will abide in you.

When we focus on faith, love, and service, we can then say, "for me and my household, we will serve The Lord.' We know that it is much easier to obey God when a believer walks in faith, love, and service. That obedience then fosters and builds long-lasting communion with God.

So what will your choice be? Will you and your household serve the Lord?