As Joshua neared the end of his life, he gathered the Israelites together and issued a challenge to them. In Joshua 24:15, Joshua said, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” It’s a pivotal moment. Joshua did not simply tell the people what to do. He gave them a clear choice to make – either serve the one true God or serve the false gods of the cultures around them. Joshua knew their devotion had to be a conscious decision they made themselves.
While Joshua issued this challenge to the Israelites centuries ago, this principle still rings true for believers today. We cannot live a vibrant, faithful life until we definitively choose who we will serve – God or the variety of others things clamoring for our time, energy, and devotion.
So much in our world tempts us to serve ourselves and our own interests above all else. Materialism, selfishness, greed, lust, and the pursuit of status pull at us constantly. Even good things like career, family, hobbies and causes can become distractions that slowly displace God from the center of our lives.
However, by choosing to wholeheartedly serve God, we anchor ourselves to the only firm foundation that will last. We acknowledge God as the author of life and submit to His ways over our own limited understanding. We prioritize what is eternal over what is temporary.
Making this choice is emboldening. Like Joshua, once we draw that line in the sand and choose to follow and pursue God only, our path becomes clear. With God as our priority, we find purpose. We find fulfillment that we think all these other things will give us, but don’t. We gain courage and strength for the challenges ahead because we know who is in control. Most importantly, we position ourselves to experience all of God’s love, joy and peace.
Conclusion
Joshua’s challenge was said to the Israelites but apply to us today, too. So let us follow Joshua’s example and decide today that we will serve the everlasting, ever-faithful God. Choose today for you and your household that you, too, will serve the Lord.
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