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Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac; ‘Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’ 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 or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.’And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, we will serve the Lord!’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’ He said, ‘Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.’ The people said to Joshua, ‘The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.’ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. (Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25)
Do you remember 40 years ago, if you're that old? I do, very clearly, because I was about to marry the love of my life. What about you? Has a lot happened since that time? Of course it has. Imagine Joshua's words to a group that has been on the march for 40 years in the wilderness, being slowly formed into God's people, led on by the hope and vision of a Promised Land. They encountered many people who joined them or who mocked and fought them; some even brought along their gods with them and even though the saw the hand and presence of God, believed in their gods. So, this is a commitment day for God's people. Joshua, heir to the leadership role of Moses puts it to them straight; We must decide today, who we belong to. If it's God, then with all our sincerity and faithfulness we must serve Him. We must also put aside all the trivial things that have tried to take God's place in our hearts and lives. Put God first! You're free to choose and you can decide to serve the god with the little g, your family, your passion, your spouse; whatever or whoever that may be, (Hear Joshua's words loud and clear said with full conviction) "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Boom. The folks were stirred up and yelled, "Yes, yes, He is our God." Then Joshua again says it straight: "You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sin. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good." This was again, a reminder and call to remember all God had done for them, and to be sure, 100% sure that they wanted to follow and serve God. The people said they were sure, and Joshua made a covenant with them that very day and set up statutes and ordinances for them at the site where they were, Shechem.
During the last forty years in our lives, much has happened. Most have been awesome and unexpected, undeserved blessings. Family members left this world to be with the Lord, and others have come to bless us richly. In all of these experiences and events, God has been with us, just as God has been with you. And guess what, it's not too late, if you've not yet said and lived this: As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. But mean it and live it. God has brought you through a lot and there's a lot more to go; and we pray that it's even more awesome than you can even imagine.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for the years we have lived. For the good and the bad, through it all, you have been with us, loved and blessed us. Help us to make today a renewed covenant with You that we will serve You in all ways. It won't be easy, temptations will come to make us try to choose another way or another thing, but with Your help and strength, it will be You that we serve. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Resolve to write it on a piece of paper, or the fogged mirror in your bathroom, and especially in your heart: As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Update: Thank you dear friends, for your prayers. In what seems like a year in bed, I have been battling the flu. Thankfully I saw our doctor early on and got on flu medication and my fever is gone and I'm feeling a lot better. Still achy and weak, but overall stronger than two days ago. I thank you for your patience in not getting a ConCafe yesterday, but onward and upward in Christ' name!
