Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
These verses occur at the end of Joshua's life as he leaves the Israelites a legacy statement to stay true to God. It is a theme of his life to choose to follow God and not to waver. In a way, each day he had to choose whom he would serve. As a young man as one of the 12 spies checking out the Promised Land only he and Caleb had the faith in God to believe God could give the land over to them. It would be 40 years of waiting through the wilderness time that the others earned because of their lack of faith. Through this time Joshua remained resolute to follow God, learn from Moses and not to waver in his service or faith. When he was called as the next leader and battles began in the Promised Land, God’s intervention brought walls of Jericho down. The next battle for Ai seemed like it should be easy, but relying on themselves and disobedience in the camp brought defeat before a second chance that brought victory. Moments like this can be hard, but Joshua knew that the answer was to follow God even closer. It is what made him the one God chose to lead after Moses and to bring the Israelites into the Promise Land. He had to allow God to strengthen his faith through the ups and downs of so many battles and then through the dividing of the land among his people. Everyday we have the same task to make a decision to serve God and encourage those around us to do likewise. Will you make that decision today? Will you declare to the world that as for me and my house, we will serve the one and only God?
