Serve and Obey
As Joshua's life on earth was coming to a close, he called all of the Israelites together to challenge them to be faithful to the Lord. He made it clear that no matter what they decided to do, he and his family would serve the Lord. Then, the people responded well to the challenge with a unified commitment to serve the Lord and obey His voice. (Joshua 24:24) That is an excellent commitment for any and every believer to make. Let me explain.
When Israel confessed to Joshua that they would serve the Lord, it was a decision not to worship idols or rebel against the Lord their God. They would submit to Him and be faithful to worship Him only. God was pleased, and He is always pleased when His children draw near to Him and serve Him only. It shows faithfulness that lasts. Also, service grows out of such a trust in God. It was not a silent, passive faith, but an active faith. Service always follows true faith.
However, they also said they would obey His voice, which is vital. As believers, we do not get to choose our service for the Lord. He sends us and directs us. We are to be submissive to go, do, and say whatever He commands. This scares some Christians, but it shouldn't. God loves us so, and He knows us so well that His service for us is always the best suited service we could perform. When we obey His voice and serve in His way, we grow in faith, and we become more and more useful to God. That is what Israel did for many years after Joshua, and they prospered because of it. It will do the same for us today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Judges 1-4.
When Israel confessed to Joshua that they would serve the Lord, it was a decision not to worship idols or rebel against the Lord their God. They would submit to Him and be faithful to worship Him only. God was pleased, and He is always pleased when His children draw near to Him and serve Him only. It shows faithfulness that lasts. Also, service grows out of such a trust in God. It was not a silent, passive faith, but an active faith. Service always follows true faith.
However, they also said they would obey His voice, which is vital. As believers, we do not get to choose our service for the Lord. He sends us and directs us. We are to be submissive to go, do, and say whatever He commands. This scares some Christians, but it shouldn't. God loves us so, and He knows us so well that His service for us is always the best suited service we could perform. When we obey His voice and serve in His way, we grow in faith, and we become more and more useful to God. That is what Israel did for many years after Joshua, and they prospered because of it. It will do the same for us today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Judges 1-4.