It’s pretty easy to see how some things in scripture are popular and other things (even entire books) are so…well, avoided. For example, as I finished the book of Joshua this morning I was struck at how much of it most people never heard of verses the popular verses most believers know—even by heart. Many believers, for example, will post the following verse from Joshua in their home somewhere:
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
That’s the part of this scripture most Christians are familiar with but what about the rest of the verse? What about the context from which it comes? For the English word, ‘but’ we could easily substitute the phrase, ‘on the other hand,’ or, ‘however.’ Each of these points back to a previous alternative…
You can do this, but I will do this.
That might work for you, on the other hand, have you considered…?
Sure, most will follow your way; however, I will follow God’s way.
Let’s take that much misquoted scripture and put it back in context…
“…I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and(P) you came to the sea.(Q) And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7(R) And when they cried to the LORD,(S) he put darkness between you and the Egyptians(T) and made the sea come upon them and cover them;(U) and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt.(V) And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan.(W) They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9(X) Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel.(Y) And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10(Z) but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11(AA) And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho,(AB) and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12And I sent(AC) the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was(AD) not by your sword or by your bow. 13I gave you a land on which you had not labored(AE) and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14(AF) “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.(AG) Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15(AH) And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD,(AI) choose this day whom you will serve, whether(AJ) the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or(AK) the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.(AL) But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, 17for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”
First Joshua does a bit of a review for the Israelites—building a case for God and His goodness (as though God needs to have us plead His case), then He tells the people that they need to ‘make a choice to serve God,’ and ‘keep right on making that choice each and every day’ because the pull of culture and false gods and greeds and self indulgence is ever with us. Joshua made that choice every day of his life and the manifest blessing of God was all over his life.
It can be that way for you and me as well. But it’s not automatic like some (who only quote half a verse) seem to believe.
If we do not understand that there is a real pull on the Christ follower to follow the world instead of Jesus, than we will not take serious the commitment to serve the Lord. And make no mistake, it is a commitment—and not an easy one. Each day when we wake up there will be a fresh set of tugs and pulls on us away from God. Each day a new reason to recommit and refocus on the cross. Cruise Control Christians simply aren’t willing to put that much thought into their daily walk.
Choose you this day who you will serve. But choose carefully. The road to heaven is narrow and few find it, The road leading to Hell is a broad highway and the default for lazy people everywhere. So, if you’ve never made a conscious choice, then you’ve made a subconscious one to follow the world. My suggestion to you is to take the first exit and head back to Jesus. Then choose to stay on that narrow road from this day forth.