“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;” Joshua 24:14-16, KJV.
The first part of the passage above states, “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth….” I’ve come to understand that “fear” in the sense of reverence carries with it a great deal of humbleness, a sacrificial obedience. There may be times when we want to do things our way, but in honoring and respecting the Lord we choose to do things His way. I aim to please and show Him that I love Him so much I deny myself. Let me share something with you…
Last week one morning I was speaking to my husband as we both prepared to read God’s word. As we talked I kept hearing “Apologize.” I thought where is that coming from? I walked into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water and there again, I heard, “Apologize.” I made a face to myself and kept talking to my husband soon realizing that we weren’t seeing eye to eye on a matter, but there weren’t any raised voices, but still I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “Apologize.” I shrugged my shoulders thinking, for what? I waited a few moments for an explanation, but nothing. So reluctantly I said to my husband, “I apologize.” I thought he was going to ask, “For what,” just as I had, but he didn’t. Instead he replied, “Oh that’s okay. I’m all right.” I then thought to myself, I didn’t even do anything to you. I then recognized that I must have said something for him to respond in that matter.
God sees the things we don’t. God understands others feelings even when we turn the blind eye. Even in the little things, I was obedient when I thought I had done no wrong. I understood things one way, but God tells us in His word lean not to your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). He is the possessor of divine wisdom guiding us through things we’re unaware.
As stated above, serve him in sincerity and truth, we must be as honest with Him as we expect Him to be with us. Would we want God to be faithful to us? I know I do. So why not be faithful to Him? “…and put away the gods which your fathers served…” Many of have ancestors that may have been atheists or practiced witchcraft, but we must take note that just because “grandma or grandpa” believed in reading the stars and trusting in zodiac signs does not mean we have to do it as well. Every man will stand accountable for himself. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death,” Revelation 21:8, KJV.
“…And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve…” God gives us the choice to choose. Let us remember that God says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth,” Revelation 3:15-16, KJV. I cannot speak for another, but my husband and I live by this scripture, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” I pray that you will as well.
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