Who Will You Serve?

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

A few weeks ago my family and I were privileged with the opportunity to visit my sister-in-law and her husband in Texas. This was the first time that we were able to visit them in their home since they got married two years ago. As we walked into their home the very first thing that I noticed was the words of Joshua 24:15 painted in the entry way. “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Right there for everyone to see was the declaration that they had made for themselves. This household will serve the Lord.

In this text, Joshua is publicly declaring his family’s commitment to serve God in all they say and do. At the same time he is calling for the Israelites to make the same declaration. At the beginning of this verse he says, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.” You cannot serve the Lord and false gods at the same time, so Joshua asks them, who will you serve? Thankfully the people of Israel see what Joshua is saying and they make their own commitment to serve the Lord and Joshua makes a covenant for them that they would follow God’s law.

Joshua’s words calling the people of Israel to serve the Lord are God’s Words to us also. We cannot serve the Lord and serve the gods of this world as well. So many families in today’s society do not serve the Lord. To serve the Lord means to put God first in everything that we do and say. As parents, it is our job to make this declaration for our families and it goes well beyond just saying it. It is something that we have to do every day, all day, in all that we do.

This is not always easy to do. Our busy lives and schedules that have us going in many different directions get us distracted. Often we fail, even when we have the best of intentions. It takes daily refocusing and daily declaring our commitment to serve the Lord to help us stay on the right track. Family devotions and time spent in God’s Word are so important in not only acting on that commitment but also in enabling us to follow through with our commitment on a daily basis.

I love that my sister-in-law and her husband have those words painted in large lettering that can’t be missed in their entryway. It not only lets all those who come into their home know of their declaration of commitment, but it also serves as a constant reminder to them. I pray that my family will daily renew that declaration that “we will serve the Lord.” I pray this for your families as well. Who will you serve?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You that You constantly shower us with Your love and commitment. Help us Lord to always remember to serve You and You alone. Keep us daily in Your Word and help us to avoid the distractions that are all around us. Lord, bless the service that we give in Your name that You may be glorified in all we do. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.