Who Does Your Household Serve?

~~~ Joshua 24:14-29 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~ Matthew 19:13-15 ~~~

 

As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

 

Joshua is asking the people to make a commitment.

Either you serve the Lord with me and my household

 or you serve the god of your fathers

or the god of the Amorites.

But you must chose.

You may not meander about with no allegiance to a god.

He was forcing them to think about what they wanted to believe.

They needed to make a personal choice.

 

Joshua proudly declares his decision.

 

The people quickly reject the idea of serving other gods.

They remember historically how the Lord had led them,

protected them, and provided for them.

For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery. 

 

Collectively the people announce their service to the God.
Joshua warns them that they must now put away all other gods.

 

 

They must now turn their hearts to the Lord also.
Just speaking the words of serving the Lord is not sufficient.
Words can be spoken without coming from the heart.

These words were spoken amidst the crowd;
they could be influenced by those standing beside them. 

 

 Joshua made a covenant with the people that day...
... he recorded in the book of the law of God.

...he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak...

Joshua said to all the people, "This stone shall be our witness,
for it has heard all the words which the LORD spoke to us..." 

 

Joshua placed the stone as a visible sign of their
commitment that day to the Lord. 

 

Have you made the choice for your house to serve the Lord?
Have you placed a visible sign
somewhere in your house as a reminder
of your commitment to the Lord? 

Jesus blesses the little children...
for me every time I see a little child it is a reminder
of the goodness of the Lord.
It reminds me that there truly is a God and that heaven is real.

Join the people of Joshua and claim your household in service to the Lord.
Make this promise with your words and with your heart. 

Blessings come in the total package...
a household dedicated to serving the Lord.