Description
Life is all about choices. Whether
we're facing times of trouble or enjoying periods of abundance, we can
turn our backs on God, or we can choose to trust, obey, and serve Him.
One of the great leaders we meet in the Old Testament is Joshua. The name "Joshua" literally means "
Yahweh is Salvation."
He watched in awe as the Red Sea parted; he tasted manna in the desert;
and he served faithfully for 40 years as Moses' right-hand man and
military commander. And this warrior-leader lived up to his name. Joshua
eventually led the Israelites to victory in Canaan—and
into "all the good land the Lord had promised." Yet his greatest legacy
came down to a choice he made: "But as for me and my house, we will
serve the LORD" (
Joshua 24:15, NKJV).
What Does God Say?
It's all about choices. Whether we're facing times of trouble or abundance, we can turn our backs on God... or we can choose to
trust, obey and
serve Him.
The simple fact is, God doesn't want us to add a little of Himself into our daily walk. He wants to
consume our lives. He's not pleased with people who dabble in faith, and then forget Him later. The Lord desires us to
live for Him—faithfully, consistently, day by day.
Joshua understood this. "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve him in
sincerity and in 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, NKJV).
By the end of the book that bears his name, the Israelites stood with
Joshua and chose to serve only the Lord. But flip over to Judges and
the word
follow once again changes to
forget. We encounter snapshot after snapshot of raw, uncensored
faithlessness: "Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals" (
Judges 2:11, NKJV). But keep reading.
In chapter two we discover that, despite Israel's gross unfaithfulness,
God is faithful.
He molds and disciplines His children. He shows persistent, unwearied
love and matchless grace; grace that's absolutely undeserved.
"Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the
hand of those who plundered them" (
Judges 2:16, NKJV).
In God's perfect time, He gives a new beginning to people who so easily turn their backs on Him—people like you and me.
My Thoughts
Look over these passages to learn more about following and forgetting.
- Luke 9:23-24
- 2 Kings 17:35-39
- Psalm 95
- What kind of cross do you carry daily?
- Exactly who or what is the passion of your life?
- Is getting your career off the ground the most important thing to
you? A relationship, maybe? Or could it be money or popularity?
- Are you following the living God? Or the gods of money, power, prestige?
My Part
Your conception and birth was God's idea, not yours. Likewise, your
childhood came without thinking. (It required no act of the will.) But
following God day by day is a choice. Consider the words of Joshua: "But
as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Write this verse
out and post it somewhere as a reminder of the choice you need to make
each day.