Joshua 24:14-15 "Now therefore fear the
LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your
fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the
LORD. (15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose
you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served
that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Once again, Joshua has brought the elders of the people together. This time they are gathered at Shechem, which literally means the place of strength where burdens are carried. Beginning with the father of Abraham, Joshua gives a quick history lesson to the people. But this history lesson is not about national history, as such; rather, Joshua is reminding the people of the manner in which the Lord has brought them to the place where they were on that day. This history lesson is "His story" of the Lord God almighty. It is an amazing thing to think about the manner in which God had provided and continued to provide everything the people needed. Joshua reminded the people that they were living in cities that they had not built. They were living in houses that they had not buiilt. They were eating the fruit of the land from vineyards that they had not planted. The grace of God had provided every need. Then at the conclusion of the lesson, Joshua makes a commitment before the people and tells them that they also must make that commitment. "As for me and my house, we WILL serve the LORD."
We have heard that statement many times in our lifetime. Many people have it as a plaque on their wall. Many sermons have been preached with either that as the text or a reference given to that statement. But until those words become a part of our heart's plan for life, they remain just words, just statements, just plaques, and just sermons. This is a personal commitment that must be made from the heart. Why would it be difficult for anyone not to make that commitment in life? When we stop, as Joshua did, and look back on our lives, can we not say that there are so many blessings that the Lord has heaped upon us? Can we not say that He has brought us so very far in our lives from where we began? God is so good and it should not be a hard thing to commit our lives to the goodness that is our strength.
Joshua made the commitment long before the day he gave the history lesson. He had made that commitment at least 40 years before when he went against the ten spies who said the land was too difficult to take. He had made that commitment when he said, "if the Lord will help us, we can take the land." As we finish the book of Joshua, may we remember these great words and may we stop to examine ourselves to renew that commitment today: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Once again, Joshua has brought the elders of the people together. This time they are gathered at Shechem, which literally means the place of strength where burdens are carried. Beginning with the father of Abraham, Joshua gives a quick history lesson to the people. But this history lesson is not about national history, as such; rather, Joshua is reminding the people of the manner in which the Lord has brought them to the place where they were on that day. This history lesson is "His story" of the Lord God almighty. It is an amazing thing to think about the manner in which God had provided and continued to provide everything the people needed. Joshua reminded the people that they were living in cities that they had not built. They were living in houses that they had not buiilt. They were eating the fruit of the land from vineyards that they had not planted. The grace of God had provided every need. Then at the conclusion of the lesson, Joshua makes a commitment before the people and tells them that they also must make that commitment. "As for me and my house, we WILL serve the LORD."
We have heard that statement many times in our lifetime. Many people have it as a plaque on their wall. Many sermons have been preached with either that as the text or a reference given to that statement. But until those words become a part of our heart's plan for life, they remain just words, just statements, just plaques, and just sermons. This is a personal commitment that must be made from the heart. Why would it be difficult for anyone not to make that commitment in life? When we stop, as Joshua did, and look back on our lives, can we not say that there are so many blessings that the Lord has heaped upon us? Can we not say that He has brought us so very far in our lives from where we began? God is so good and it should not be a hard thing to commit our lives to the goodness that is our strength.
Joshua made the commitment long before the day he gave the history lesson. He had made that commitment at least 40 years before when he went against the ten spies who said the land was too difficult to take. He had made that commitment when he said, "if the Lord will help us, we can take the land." As we finish the book of Joshua, may we remember these great words and may we stop to examine ourselves to renew that commitment today: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."