Joshua has not only helped the children of Israel conquer the land of Canaan... he's also lived many years after the land was given rest from war. And now he is old, and it's time for him to rest. But before he rests, he gives the children of Israel another challenge.
Be courageous, he tells them! Don't even mention the name of other gods. Hold fast to the Lord. Remember that one man of you can chase a thousand, if the Lord fights for you!
And he makes one final appeal! He sees the tendency of the children of Israel to return to their old ways... He knows that they are even now starting to wander. So he challenges them...
"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." Joshua 24:15
I love what Ellen White writes about the power of choice.
"The will is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or choice. Every human being possessed of reason has power to choose the right. In every experience of life, God’s word to us is, “Choose you this day whom ye willserve.” Joshua 24:15. Everyone may place his will on the side of the will of God, may choose to obey Him, and by thus linking himself with divine agencies, he may stand where nothing can force him to do evil." (Education, p. 189)
If we choose to play our will on the side of Christ, all His power is ours! What a gift we've been given in the power of choice. In fact, here's some further encouragement that this reminded me of.
"All who consecrate soul, body, and spirit to God will be constantly receiving a new endowment of physical and mental power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command. Christ gives them the breath of His own spirit, the life of His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth its highest energies to work in heart and mind. The grace of God enlarges and multiplies their faculties, and every perfection of the divine nature comes to their assistance in the work of saving souls. Through co-operation with Christ they are complete in Him, and in their human weakness they are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence." (Desire of Ages, p. 827)
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
Tomorrow's Reading: Beginning Judges 1-2 and Romans 16
No comments:
Post a Comment