Joshua 24:15
“But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua gives the people a fresh challenge. Who are you going to serve? Will you stick with the Lord? This is addressed in the first two of the commandments. Exodus 20:2-6 says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
We aren’t to worship other gods, nor are we to make any idols. Even if we say it’s representing God. He gives as a reason that He is a jealous God. Other gods or idols draw our attention away from Him. He doesn’t want any competing loves.
Our allegiance is to Him. As we walk throughout our days we have to make choices that support our devotion to Him. He doesn’t have a problem with us having hobbies or interests. However He will nudge us about anything of that competes with our relationship with Him. It won’t be a condemning voice. That’s the devil.
Joshua gives the people a fresh challenge. He is going to die soon. He wants it to be clear who they serve. We do that as well.
The message to the christian is ‘Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”‘, (Matthew 16:24). This can happen daily.
I can recall the struggles with this as a young christian. I was used to calling the shots. Part of it I made a bigger deal than I needed to. Some of the yielding was necessary. Like an army surrendering. I am no longer the king of my life. I need to step down. The bible is now the authority in my life. I am to read it often. I am to obey what it says.
The Holy Spirit is also the authority in my life. He uses His Word to guide, but also gives us nudges in various ways when it comes to guidance and correction. As we obey Him He also becomes our comforter. We need that. Some come to Him for that comfort. They will have to accept Him as Lord as well. Like Joshua’s challenge. Who will You serve?
These moments of refreshing our allegiance are cleansing. It can remove compromises and idols that begin to invade our hearts. The devil works in subtle ways. He can sneak things in slight ways that we don’t recognize them as idols. Be sensitive to the Spirit when it comes to things.
Lord, keep us clean in our relationship to You. Help us to clear out any thing that will obstruct our view of You.