I am called to serve the LORD. I have been given the choice to serve Him or the other “gods” here in the world and I choose to serve Him.
“14Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
You see here Joshua spelling out the choice as given to the people, and his declaration at the end of verse 15 to “serve the LORD”. “For me and my house, we will serve the LORD” as well and we are not shy about it. My house is filled with God and the love He has for us is certainly here. I know that all is not perfect and frankly, that is not what God promises at all. He promises to provide our needs, and that is what we have here in our home. And for that we give back to Him and serve Him.
I have to remember the fear part of the equation as well.
“19But Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.’” – Joshua 24:19-20 (ESV)
God does not forget the promises that we make to Him. When we commit to Him, we commit fully to Him, and we are held accountable to staying with Him. Will we falter, yes. Will we make mistakes, yes. Will we wander off the path He has for us, yes. But God knows our heart and He allows us to live life and make choices. It is the will turn from Him that we must avoid. That will turn is where God draws the line.
I have not willfully turned from Him. I have faltered, made mistakes, and wandered off the path. I will continue to do so. But, I have made the conscious choice to state out loud that I will serve the Lord.
When you are out there in the world, who are you choosing to commit to? Are you taking the way of the world and running with it? What if you feared and committed to serving the LORD?
Trevor's Thoughts 