Will You Serve the Lord?

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, 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)

The passage “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” is popular.  It’s printed on plaques, found on old reclaimed pallet wood, printed on the front of Bibles, and even hand-painted on walls of homes.  It adorns Christian homes in many aspects because it is a statement of faith, an affirmation of a family’s commitment and covenant to serve the Lord.                     

These were the concluding remarks given by Joshua, one of the two spies who encouraged the Israelites to proceed into Canaan, despite the giants that lived there, and who was appointed the Israelites’ new leader after Moses’s death.  It’s a bold proclamation that many Christians, even today, seek to follow in their daily lives. 

This verse comes as Joshua tells the Israelites about what God has done for them since the beginning, bringing Abraham into a new land and sending the Jewish people out of Egyptian bondage, through Moses and Aaron, to where they were presently, following Joshua to God’s Promised Land.

Joshua had witnessed several shameful behaviors exhibited by the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness with Moses, from the creation of the Gold Calf to what he had seen prior to his statements from the Lord in Joshua 24.  He pleads with his people to turn away from the gods their fathers worshiped while in Egypt and while traveling in the wilderness. (See Joshua 24:14)

His hope was to show them as he re-visited history about God’s love and provision in their lives and in their ancestors’ lives, and that it was better to serve the Lord who took care of them than false gods who “demanded” unholy sacrifices but did little to help.  His concluding statements to the Israelites are to mark who will be following God in service and who will continue the treacherous path of serving false gods, boldly claiming his family would be serving the Lord.

The people choose the path of righteousness by telling Joshua they would serve the Lord and forsake their former gods, re-dedicating themselves to the covenant with the Lord.  This prompts Joshua to call them all to testify to their allegiance to the Holy God. (See Joshua 24:22)

So, we learn from this revolutionary speech that Joshua brought awareness to the Israelites, reminding them that all their provision and survival in the wilderness over the past several years was from a loving God who had done the same, generations before them, and would continue for generations to come.  That declaration from Joshua and the Israelites centuries ago is still relevant today, as we examine and honestly evaluate whether we are living lives in service to God.

For the Israelites, the Law was what governed them, the proclamations made to Moses from God at Mount Sinai that brought forth the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle, and laws appointing the proper attire and actions of the priests and demeanor of the people.

Through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, we, as Christians, no longer need to go to a holy priesthood to interact with the Lord, as we have direct access to God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Instead, we can go to God at anytime, anywhere, and share with Him our hearts’ desires, our pains, our questions, and our praises to the Lord who loves us. (See Hebrews 10:19-22)

Yet, just as Joshua admonished the Israelites for continuing to embrace their fathers’ gods, we are still at fault for following false gods who promise us comfort, understanding, and love, social media, other religions, careers, even our family and friends.  Truthfully, many of us have chosen to go to others who know less about our situation than the Father who created the heavens and the earth.

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24)

This speech from Joshua calls for us to be witnesses just as he calls the Israelites, that we have to not just speak these words so we “look” like Christians, but proclaim them boldly to ourselves that, from this day forth, our houses, our families, and ourselves will serve only the one, true God.

When parents or couples hang this verse on the wall in their home today, they are proclaiming what Joshua was proclaiming.  Parents have a responsibility to make sure what goes on in their home honors God and excludes activities that do not honor or serve him.  Just as the people of Israel re-dedicate their lives to the Lord, this also prompts followers of Christ to do the same today.  It is a reminder to check your heart, the activities that go on in your home, the example you set for your family, and to what your family is watching or listening.  It’s a chance to check behaviors, actions, and attitudes to ensure all of what we say, think and do, align with Jesus. 

The bottom line is that we, as Christians, need to know serving the Lord isn’t to receive glory from man for our “good deeds,” it is serving in thankfulness for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will do when we leave these earthly homes for an eternal one.  It is also for the pleasure of serving Him and following His will, in that we can help others draw closer to God and make the choice to allow Him into their lives through the acceptance of Jesus.

You are the witness to this proclamation to serve the Lord, as Joshua said to the Israelites long ago, so make the choice to put your service to God before everything else, and know He will be greatly pleased with His good and faithful servants!