Daily Reading // Joshua 21-24
(Find the daily reading on Pastor Jim’s Blog)
https://jholm5.wixsite.com/pastor-jim-blog
S // SCRIPTURE
Select a verse from today’s reading
Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:19-20 (NKJV) 19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for He [is] a holy God. He [is] a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20 “If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.”
O // OBSERVATION
Why did this verse get your attention? Make a simple observation from the text
Within these verses and their surrounding context lies an issue of great conflict today. It was a conflict then, is a conflict today and has been all times in between. It may in fact be the chief reason of conflict with Christians and our culture.
Joshua said in verse 15, “You’ve got to chose. God or all these other gods. It can’t be both.”
Then he reiterated in verses 19 & 20, “You can’t serve God and live in sin. You can’t serve God and other gods.”
I always thought it was a little derogatory to say of God, or for God to say of Himself, that He is a jealous God, as He does in the very first commandment. Now I realize, it’s not petty at all. God is saying that relationship with Him requires exclusivity.
Relationship with Him requires exclusivity and faithfulness. You can’t add Him to your various other gods. You can’t include Him as an add-on to you life of sin and self-fulfillment.
God is jealous. He is exclusive.
A // APPLICATION
How can I apply this to my life today?
This is what gets us into trouble. Our world, even today, is pluralistic. It’s okay for you to serve whatever god or philosophy or system you want, as long as you don’t make the claim that your way is the only way. As long as you’re willing to bow down to all the other gods of this age you’re free to worship however you would like.
The world does not like Christianity (and Judaism before it) because of their claims of exclusivity.
Isn’t sin itself, at the core, a form of idolatry? It’s saying, “I know what You want me to do, God. But I want to do something different. I will obey my desires above Yours.” Thus, making myself god.
This exclusivity is no small thing. It is everything.
P // PRAYER
Express yourself in prayer
Father, I know I cannot be faithful unless I am exclusive. I commit again, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Amen.
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