If you were given the option to choose between serving the Lord and serving other gods, which one will you choose? This was a challenge that Joshua threw to the Israelites. Joshua had led the nation of Israel and he was much aware of their tendency to rely on idols at the sight of challenges. He had seen them rebel several times when Moses was their leader. He witnessed all the supernatural power of God to rescue the Israelites from Egypt. He also witnessed how they quickly abandoned the Lord and made a golden calf, how they murmured severally on the wilderness, how they prostituted themselves with other gods, and how they demonstrated lack of faith in God’s power even when they had witnessed supernatural miracles. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15) In his final days, Joshua renewed God’s covenant with the Israelites and made this profound statements: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”(Joshua 24:15) In response to this, then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.” (Joshua 24:16-18) Joshua took a stand for the Lord: “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” The Israelites took a stand for the Lord: “We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.” As they promised, “Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.” (Joshua 24:31) We need to take a stand for the Lord and we should do this together with our household. None should be left out. In the 21st Century when the home system is gradually becoming loose because of children’s right advocacy and all that, we should still remain committed to serving the Lord with our household. None should be left out. We should be intentional about investing the word of God in the members of our household. If we fail to take a stand for God, we automatically enroll in the devil’s academy. A family that prays together, studies God’s word together and fellowship together is what we should desire and how to achieve this is through intentional discipleship. God desires all men to be saved!
top of page
bottom of page
Comments