If I would begin to tell you about King David, the Israelites or Paul, if you were raised in church (if you weren’t hold on, this is for you too) you may be tempted to just skim or skip over it all together, and I wouldn’t blame you. You have heard it all your life and know all the answers. I don’t want to waste your time.
Similarly, the people of Israel, (like the second or third generation), had grown up hearing of the stories of their ancestors and how God moves. Kinda like how those who grow up in the church grow up hearing all the biblical things. We know all the answers. We know what the Bible says, or so we believe…
I find it interesting that Joshua, the leader of the Israelites at the time, recognized this sense of complacency among this new generation of Israelites he was leading. So he laid it out for them and perhaps for the first time ever allowed the space for the Israelites to choose who they would serve and follow.
Have you ever disqualified yourself from something because you believed you weren’t good enough, or didn’t belong there? Have you ever taken yourself out of the church or walked away from God because you believed your past hindered you from a relationship with God?
Joshua reminded the Israelites that Abraham, who is basically the guy who started it all, was not raised in a “Christian home”. His parents served other gods (Joshua 24:2). His past should’ve disqualified him from what God was going to do in his life, but his past did not scare God or stop Him from using Abraham as the foundation to His redemption plan.
What are you going to do? Joshua laid out a clear decision that each person had to make.
“So now: Fear God. Worship him in total commitment. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped on the far side of The River (the Euphrates) and in Egypt. You, worship God. If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you would rather serve – and do it today.” – Joshua 24:14-15
We all have the decision to make.
We all come to that point where we can hear all the things and go through the all motions, but in this passage just after Joshua reminds the people of the covenant and all that God has done, he says well now you must make up your mind for yourselves.
Do you believe this? Will you follow?
I think this moment in history is super cool and wildly important. God wants sincere hearts not robots, and He is providing the space for us to come to our own conclusions.
Now I don’t know about you, but that feels a lot like love. It’s not forced or coerced on us. We are seen and valued as human beings who can make decisions.
Now I think there are two groups of people that Joshua is talking to and addressing this question towards:
Towards people who were raised in the church. Put away the faith of your parents and grandparents. Stop looking at what God did in their life and thinking that is enough. True Christianity is not biologically transmitted. God wants to take you further than your parents generation. Do you believe in God because your parents and grandparents do or say to? Which isn’t bad, but Joshua is asking you to make your own choice. What do you believe? Who will you serve? Your parents faith or a personal relationship with God?
Towards people not raised in the church. Joshua is asking the same question. Who will you follow and believe? If it is God, put away those habits and temptations. Forget the labels your past has marked you with. A relationship with Jesus is not biologically transmitted. You are free and invited to write a new story with your life. God wants to walk alongside you and take you places you couldn’t imagine.
“Now get rid of all the foreign gods you have with you. Say an unqualified Yes to God, the God of Israel.” Joshua 24:23 MSG
I love how the author writes the God of Israel, because Israel – in my mind referring to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – are definitely very unqualified and I think God loves it that way. Because not only does it bring Him more glory, but it also frees us up to love God and others better. God does not desire for us to be robots, who have zero fun, and obey all the rules. We were made for adventure, and being in an authentic relationship with God.
No force. No guilt. No shame. No going through the motions. No mediocre life.
“God isn’t just something we add to our lives; He wants to become our life.” -unknown
The choice is yours.
– Daysha
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