"Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed...for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you... Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Sincere! Faithful! Truthful! Powerful qualities of the Christian life! Where did anyone ever come up with the idea that allowed for less than this? These are defining marks of Christian experience. It sets us apart from the world. From the beginning, God held man to a standard of "All, all the time!" At any point where someone fell below this, repentance was sought with deep contrition and resolve, in order to get back on the road of "All, all the time". We are not meant to have a divided heart. Joshua draws a line in the sand and calls the people to make their choice either for the gods of this world or for the living God, letting them know they can't have it both ways. Insincere hearts are constantly trying both ways. Unfaithful hearts like to have it both ways. Deceitful hearts seek to cover that they even have another way in them. Joshua urges them to have the courage to declare their allegiance one way or the other and then he boldly, firmly and enthusiastically steps across the line, declaring "I choose the living God because He is all that matters: Sincere (without any other admixture), Faithful (always about us) and Truthful (there is no deceit in Him). No one in their right mind would settle for a God who is less than that. Would you? Surely, if we would expect this of God, then He has every right to expect the same of us. "Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth." That's what covenant relationships are all about. This is not only good for the soul. Joshua knows this is good for the whole family, and he commits himself to that end saying, "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"; in other words, "we'll be faithful to Him as He is to us." Are all of our efforts, time and activities given to that end, or are there other gods that steal our allegiance?
Sincere! Faithful! Truthful! Powerful qualities of the Christian life! Where did anyone ever come up with the idea that allowed for less than this? These are defining marks of Christian experience. It sets us apart from the world. From the beginning, God held man to a standard of "All, all the time!" At any point where someone fell below this, repentance was sought with deep contrition and resolve, in order to get back on the road of "All, all the time". We are not meant to have a divided heart. Joshua draws a line in the sand and calls the people to make their choice either for the gods of this world or for the living God, letting them know they can't have it both ways. Insincere hearts are constantly trying both ways. Unfaithful hearts like to have it both ways. Deceitful hearts seek to cover that they even have another way in them. Joshua urges them to have the courage to declare their allegiance one way or the other and then he boldly, firmly and enthusiastically steps across the line, declaring "I choose the living God because He is all that matters: Sincere (without any other admixture), Faithful (always about us) and Truthful (there is no deceit in Him). No one in their right mind would settle for a God who is less than that. Would you? Surely, if we would expect this of God, then He has every right to expect the same of us. "Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth." That's what covenant relationships are all about. This is not only good for the soul. Joshua knows this is good for the whole family, and he commits himself to that end saying, "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"; in other words, "we'll be faithful to Him as He is to us." Are all of our efforts, time and activities given to that end, or are there other gods that steal our allegiance?
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