“We Will Serve the Lord!”

Descipleship

14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and do away with the gods which your fathers served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15But 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 24:14-15
(NASB® © 2020)

Joshua is a remarkable person in the Old Testament. He was, first, Moses’ servant and then the leader of the people of Israel, whom he was to bring into the land of Canaan. His life story begins in Exodus 17 and ends in Joshua 24, covering a period of about 70-75 years. At the end of his life, he addresses the people with a final message. We want to learn from this in 5 points, and therefore, we’ll read Joshua 24:14-15:

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 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 served

Joshua served the Lord in two different ways in his life. On the one hand, he worshipped God, and on the other hand, he gave his life to God. We can still do both of these things today. As believers, we are to be worshipers, those who worship in spirit and truth. We express in prayer what delights our hearts in the person of the Lord Jesus or in God the Father. 

We are servants of the Lord. We accept him as our superior authority in life and hand over our whole life to him. He can do what He wants with it. As with Joshua, it starts with faithfulness. If we are faithful, the Lord can use us more and more. The Lord can make much out of little, and He wants us to serve Him, not as a duty but out of love and with joy in our hearts.

Joshua chose

Joshua’s choice was not a casual one but a conscious decision to serve the Lord. It required a true decision, a purpose of heart, that unites heart, mind, and will and lasts the whole life. We, too, are called to make a similar decision. It is a conscious choice that we must not neglect. Are you and I ready to serve the Lord, whatever it may cost?

Joshua served the Lord

As believers, we do not serve any cause, doctrine, or other ideology. No, we serve the Lord. Nor do we serve brothers and sisters, for that often brings disappointment. No, we serve the Lord alone. He must always be the center and not the service we do. The Lord gives gifts and tasks, and we are to serve Him faithfully with them. This automatically leads to keeping our hearts and eyes focused on the Lord alone. So the question for us is also: Whom do we serve?

When do we serve?

With Joshua, we see that his service began when he was still young. At a young age, he had already made a decision to serve the Lord alone. He did not wait until he was old and had less power – no, he started early to serve the Lord and to dedicate his best time, power, and energy to Him. Sometimes, we tend to keep procrastinating about things, but only today can we act. Yesterday has passed, and tomorrow is not in our hands, so today, let us strengthen each other’s hands for service. Let us honestly ask ourselves what we live for today.

A decision against the masses

For Joshua, what he wanted to do was clear: he wanted to serve the Lord. No matter how everyone else would decide, he says: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Even today it is important not to look at the masses but at the Lord. It might mean that we make a decision that leads to loneliness. People may not understand us, but we know that the Lord is with us. This is us enough because he will never leave us nor forsake us. 

Examining Joshua’s life cannot fail to affect us. His life is like the shining morning light that shines ever brighter to the height of day (Prov 4:18). At the end of his life, he appeals to the people, urging them to be faithful and devoted to their God. Joshua’s life of service, worship, and purpose is an example for us today. Let’s be encouraged to follow his example!

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