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. Joshua 24:15 KJV
It appears to me that service flows out of a relationship with the One I seek to serve. I look at the verse before today's extract, and it says: Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. You cannot look at service without first understanding the relationship that underpins that service. Why is hypocrisy and eye-service so rampart in our society today? Isn't it because we have only been told what is right and acceptable; we have not found it for ourselves. We follow dogma and what 'they say', yet there is no personal touch, no personal encounter with the One we are charged to serve. We don't even know who 'they' themselves follow. I cannot truly serve someone I have not learnt to follow, and I cannot truly follow someone who I do not even know how or where he walks and works.
Like was said, relationship always precedes service. No matter how hard you try, you cannot change that order. Fearing God is the key to acceptable and reverential service. And this is the thread that runs through Joshua's message here to the people of Israel. Joshua had experienced firsthand what the benefits of fearing God was: he (with Caleb) was spared from death in the desert when other contemporaries died. He saw God do mighty things to Jericho, Ai and the Jordan River. That must have weighed on his mind as he stood before the people, close to his death, charging them to decide for themselves who they would serve.
Please don't forget: service flows out of relationship. Service is the outward proof of an inner walk with God. No matter how much I charge you to serve God, it will remain labour until it flows out of a heart that has been taken over completely by the fear of God. Check out today's extract: the people carried gods from Egypt, through the wilderness experience. They saw God at work, yet they ascribed his mighty deeds to other gods. Even when they came into the land of Promise, there were still other options available. It then means to me that no matter how hard I try, I cannot completely rule out other 'gods' competing for my heart. There will be suggestions, attractions and distractions, but I must not forget that there is eternal danger in following after other gods.
On my life's journey, there will be options offered to me. Their fathers served other gods, and here the children are given the option: you can hold on to your fathers' gods, or you can also follow after the local gods of the land, or you can follow after the God who brought you out of Egypt. The choice, as always, is personal. The consequences of each decision are also made clear, as was seen in the stories of the people who followed after such false options. God leaves no one in doubt as to what we stand to lose if we do not follow Him.
And so that there will be no excuse, the leader makes it clear what his own choice is: I will serve the Lord, and not just me, but my entire family. This is leadership by example; not just telling, but showing how it is done. And it is a decision that will not only affect you, but the children and generation coming after you. How did the nation of Israel reach a point, a few years after Joshua died, that the Bible records that every man did as he pleased? Was it that the people only followed God as long as Joshua was alive and because they didn't know God for themselves, they fell away to their other gods because there was no one to keep reminding them?
What's my excuse for my present pursuits and priorities? Is it that no one follows up with me, that is why I am walking in the path of ungodliness? Would that be the defence when I stand before the judgment seat of God? Can I hold anyone else responsible for my decisions? It does not appear so. The choice is always mine and mine alone. Men and women will come my way, offer me suggestions and options, but because this is a personal walk, I must decide how I will walk it and how it will work out. No one can go to heaven or hell on my behalf, so I had better be sure that I have chosen right. What will it be for you too? His time of favour is here.
No comments:
Post a Comment