We are fighting a daily battle that is waged against us with our hearts as the battlefield. Every single moment of every day we are at war. A spiritual war against our flesh (sinful nature) and against Satan. Which means that every single moment of everyday we must choose God.
In This verse, Joshua is clearly telling his people to choose who they will serve. See, when we face life we have a choice, to either choose to face It with God or with out. Either way we have made a choice. God made us to serve Him, to worship Him. Even when we think we have made no choice at all, we have still made a choice.
Worship is in our Dna. We have to worship. It's part of our genetic makeup. What we worship is up to us. Sometimes we worship money, relationships, things, jobs, kids. Wherever you put the most of your time and energy is what you have decided to worship.
More often than not, we grow up worshiping the gods of our parents. Rather it be a religious gods or sins of their past also known as generational sins. Alcohol, drugs, abuse, sex, anger, shame, guilt, depression, and the list goes on. The "gods" that our parents worshiped were passed on to us in someway or another.
We tend to worship "gods" of our own passed as well. Shame for something that we can't forgive ourself for. Guilt for something we did. Abuse, hurt, dread, bitterness, un-forgiveness, hate, malice. You name it.
We also are susceptible to worshiping the gods of our culture. Wherever you live or grew up, each place has its own traditions, fads, customs, religions, and ways. If we aren't careful these too can become "gods" in our lives.
Joshua says "Choose This day whom you will serve" I'm going to take it one step further and say "Choose this day, this moment whom you will serve." I have noticed that on any given moment I have to choose how I am going to act or react to a situation. Let's say I'm driving and someone cuts me off. I have the choice to start road rage or to let it go. "Choose this moment whom I will serve."
I have started asking myself to "Choose" anytime I'm faced with a decision, even the simple ones. It is helping me to pay closer attention to my obedience to God and rather or not I'm behaving in a way that brings glory to Him. It kinda like my accountability partner. I'm forcing myself to stop and think about what I'm doing and if it's pleasing to God.
Check out the amazing book "gods at war" by Kyle Idleman for more on this topic.
Father, thank you so very much for creating us with the drive to serve and worship You. Help us to take a step back and look at what and who we are worshiping. Lord help us to remove all idols from our hearts and place You where You alone belong. Show us how to Choose whom we will serve on a moment to moment, day to day basis.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
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