The latter part of Joshua 24:15 is one of those verses you see on plaques in homes; it says,
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”
That is a great passage that deserves to be displayed, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I read and paid attention to the entire verse. When I did, I realized that there is much more to it than I first thought. The verse is more than a proclamation; it points out that there is a choice for each of us to make. Joshua 24:15 says,
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of 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.”
This is a situation where there is no fence to sit on; I am either on one side of the line or the other. All because I don’t set up and worship idols in my home doesn’t mean I don’t serve things or people above God. How many times do I chase other people’s approval before seeking God’s? How often do I begin my day by thinking about what I have to accomplish instead of asking God how I can serve Him and best use the time He’s given me? Whenever I put people and things before my relationship with God, it is idolatry. When I put my relationship with Him first and commit to serve Him, things are in the right order. It all comes down to a choice; in this life, we serve either the gods of the land or the God who made the world.
So to me, Joshua 24:15 is more than a nice plaque hanging on a wall; it is a call to live my life in total service to God. Who or what are you serving?
Proclaiming His Goodness 