JOURNEY TO A STRANGE LAND

 

 

Pastor Jerry was reading from Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25.  God had chosen Joshua to be the new leader and to take the children of Israel into the promised land.

During their long journey the people had been rebellious and at times would worship foreign gods.  Some had even brought with them idols of the Egyptian gods. 

As far as The Lord God Jehovah, their worship was merely lip service.
 

Joshua called the people together and gave them an ultimatum. 

They must make a choice because God is a jealous God and he does not want a rival.

The people needed to make a covenant to serve God only and to put away their false gods.

New ground was ahead as it is for us in our lives.  For each of us there is an uncharted future ahead.  Our journey may seem strange, and it is time to make a solid choice. 

Are we allowing tradition and religious ceremony to become our god or will we choose to have a personal relationship with the True and Living God? 

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt.

 

Serve the Lord!  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.”

The choice was not to be made lightly but in all sincerity.

Joshua pointed the people in the right direction by recounting all that God had done for them;  Their escape from Egypt, and how God had fed and protected them on their long journey with the large congregation and all their livestock.

They had good reason to trust the Lord and serve Him with faithfulness. 

Pastor reminded us of Joseph and Mary who took a journey with the baby Jesus into Egypt to escape the wicked King.

The Apostle Paul, and others took long missionary journeys as they proclaimed the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

We mark time on our journey and there are always decisions.   We can say yes, or we can say no.

Pastor gave an illustration of two frogs seated at a banquet table.  One frog said to the other frog, “I truly miss eating flies.”

Are we like the frogs and sometimes want to eat flies?  But then Kings and Queens do not eat flies !!

In the old country dirt roads, there often are ruts from rain, mud and previous vehicles.  It is easier to travel if you place your tire in the rut and allow it to take you on your journey; but the truth is the rut might take you to where you don’t want to go.

Decide to serve The Lord God for serving Him helps you to choose relationships, work, career, friends and blessings along the way. Serving God makes a difference in your life.

Do we choose God’s path or demand to have our own path?

Choose to serve God and eliminate many heart aches and troubles.

God’s way is best.