Choose Wisely – August 26, 2024

Read: Joshua 24:1,2,14-18

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:14,15

Choose Wisely

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you are given a choice between pizza or a burger and fries, which would you choose to eat? We get to choose which food to eat, but we can’t decide not to eat. We need to eat food to stay alive.

In our reading from the book of Joshua, the Israelites faced a choice far more serious than food. “Choose whom you will serve: the Lord or evil.” Joshua reminded his people how their ancestors worshiped false gods. The Israelites may have been tempted to trust and serve the false ideas and teachings of the unbelieving nations around them. Although they might not have realized it, they would not be serving God.

Now that Moses was gone and Joshua would lead them into the promised land, he gave them a choice. They could either keep trusting those false gods or put their faith in the one true God who loved and rescued them.

We have a similar choice before us and our families. We could either follow the ideas and teachings of our world or trust God. The ideas of the world say that we are in charge and that whatever makes us feel good at the moment matters. Or we could trust in the Lord, who says that there is actual sin in our world and our lives, and in Jesus, we have a real Savior from sin who calls us to live a life of love and service to others.

Joshua said that he and his household would serve the Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can make that same choice. We can reject the world’s lies and follow the truth found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we have two paths laid out before our family. We could either follow the lies of the world or the truth of your Word. Holy Spirit, enable us and lead us to follow Jesus above all else so that we will live wise lives now and in the future. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Today’s devotion gives you the choice to do what?
• Why do you want to believe and follow Jesus?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• How do you know Jesus speaks the truth?
• TRUE or FALSE. Following God is believing in him and living for Jesus.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Maybe you don’t bow down and worship the statue of a false god. But identify something in your life you love so much, it might become an idol in your life?
• Identify a way to safeguard your heart and life for the Lord.