For Me and My Family, We Will Serve the Lord Cow Sign on Burlap

Typically, you lot might run into the scriptural verse "as for me and my house" adorning someone'south doorway at abode, or every bit a plaque they keep in the kitchen or on their curtain in the living room. Information technology'south a recognized verse of the Bible that many attribute to their belief in how they should live individually and every bit a family.

"But equally for me and my house, nosotros will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:fifteen, NKJV) were the last remarks given by Joshua, one of the two spies who encouraged the Israelites to keep into Canaan, despite the giants that lived there, and who was appointed the Israelites' new leader after Moses's expiry.

It'due south a bold proclamation made that many Christians even today seek to follow in their daily lives, merely what should be realized is that a meaningful declaration made centuries agone tin can be lived out today as though information technology were but spoken yesterday.

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What is the Background of Joshua's Proclaimation "every bit for Me and My House"?

This poesy comes as Joshua tells the Israelites about what God has done for them since the beginning: bringing Abraham into a new land and sending the Jewish people out of Egyptian bondage, through Moses and Aaron, to where they were shortly—following Joshua to God's Promised Land.

Joshua had witnessed several shameful behaviors exhibited by the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness with Moses, from the creation of the Gold Calf to what he had seen prior to his statements from the Lord in Joshua 24. He pleads with his people to turn away from the gods their fathers worshipped while in Egypt and while traveling in the wilderness (Josh. 24:14). His hope was to show them through his re-visited history near God's love and provision in their lives and in their ancestors' lives, that it was amend to serve the Lord who took care of them than false gods who "demanded" unholy sacrifices but did little to aid.

His final statements to the Israelites are for this day of his oral communication to marking who will be following God in service and who volition continue the treacherous path of serving false gods, bolding claiming his family unit would exist serving the Lord (Josh. 24:fifteen).

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Joshua Reminds the Israelites of God, Their Provider

The people choose the path of righteousness by telling Joshua they would serve the Lord and forsake their former gods, re-dedicating themselves to the covenant with the Lord. This prompts Joshua to phone call them all witnesses for their verbalized fidelity to the holy God (Josh. 24:22).

So, we acquire from this revolutionary speech that Joshua brought sensation to the Israelites, reminding them that all their provision and survival in the wilderness over the past several years was from a loving God who had washed the same, generations before them, and would keep for generations to come.

We Can Pray to God Anywhere, Any Time

That annunciation from Joshua and the Israelites centuries ago is nonetheless relevant today, as we examine and honestly assess whether we are living lives in service to God.

For the Israelites, the Law was what governed them the almost: the proclamations made to Moses from God at Mount Sinai that brought forth the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle, and laws appointing the proper attire and actions of the priests and demeanor of the people.

Through the sacrificial expiry and resurrection of Jesus, we, every bit Christians, no longer need to become to a holy priesthood to interact with the Lord, as we take direct access to God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Instead, nosotros tin become to God at anytime, anywhere, and share with Him our hearts' desires, our pains, our questions, and our praises to the Lord who loves us (Hebrews 10:xix-22).

Be Careful Not to Follow Gods of Condolement

Yet, merely as Joshua admonished the Israelites for continuing to embrace their fathers' gods, we are yet at error for following false gods who promise united states of america comfort, understanding, and love (social media, other religions, careers, even our family unit and friends). Truth be told, several of united states have chosen to get to others who know less about our situations than the Father who created the heavens and the earth.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he volition hate the 1 and honey the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and man" (Matt. 6:24).

This speech from Joshua calls for us to be witnesses merely as he calls the Israelites: that nosotros take to non only speak these words so we "look" like Christians, but proclaim them boldly to ourselves that, from this day forth, our houses, our families, and ourselves will serve only the one, truthful Lord.

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What Does Living in Service to the Lord Look Like?

If we don't want to endure the same hardships of the Israelites from years ago (xl years of traveling aimlessly), we demand to take to middle what it means to take i'due south home in service to the Lord.

Firstly, it does not hateful that yous merely present yourself and your family unit as "surface" Christians, which means that you walk, talk, and interact every bit Christians but deep downwardly alive for oneself or in pledges to other gods/idols. Just because yous are adorning the walls of your home with love scripture verses and stop your statements with, "I'll exist praying for you lot," doesn't hateful that your service to the Lord is true and evident.

Secondly, being in service to the Lord in your abode doesn't mean that you only serve the Lord when it is convenient for you or when y'all are in a period of blessings from God. God doesn't mind to your prayers or intervene in your life when it's convenient for Him or when He will receive benefits from you; God helps flesh considering information technology is part of a greater programme that volition benefit and grow us in faith and in beloved for Him.

Pray Genuinely, from Your Heart

What does it mean, and then, to live out this verse of "for me and my business firm, nosotros volition serve the Lord"?

It means being the Christian that Jesus describes in Matthew 6, not doing deeds or proverb prayers with the goal for others to run into and be proud of you. If you are in true pursuit of worshipping the Lord through service, Jesus says that you are performing a skillful service for the Lord and not others: "…practise non announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites exercise in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others." (Matt. six:2)

When y'all pray, it is okay to pray with others and seek petitions from God for the things you need and/or the needs of others, however; the "hypocrites" Jesus depicts in the Scriptures are those who speak words in repetition to audio more scholarly and cocky-righteous, wanting more than the adulation of others than the appreciation of God. He advises, instead that, "when yous pray, go into your room, and when yous have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the underground place; and your Father who sees in surreptitious will advantage you openly." (Matt. vi:6)

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Serve the Lord out of Thankfulness

For those of usa who are parents, making the choice to follow God'south decrees in raising your children and leading your household is standing business firm on the belief that serving the Lord is important. Being "slow to acrimony" produces greater understanding (Prov. 14:29) while training our children in the Lord from the outset will help them not depart from this path when they are adults (Prov. 22:half dozen).

The bottom line is that we, equally Christians, need to know serving the Lord isn't for glorification from man for our "proficient deeds;" information technology is serving in thankfulness for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will practice when we leave these earthly homes for an eternal i.  Information technology is likewise for the pleasure of serving Him and following His volition, in that we tin can help others describe closer to God and make the choice to allow Him into their lives through the credence of Jesus.

You lot are the witness to this annunciation to serve the Lord, as Joshua said to the Israelites long ago, and then make the selection to put your service to God before everything else and know He will be greatly pleased with His skilful and faithful servants!

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Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and editor for Xulon Press. A graduate of Stetson University with a Bachelor's in Communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Key Florida area, includingCelebration Independent andLake Magazine in Leesburg, Florida and currently freelances for theSouthwest Orlando Bulletin.

Photograph Courtesy: Unsplash

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This commodity is part of our larger resource library of pop Bible poesy phrases and quotes. Nosotros want to provide like shooting fish in a barrel to read manufactures that answer your questions about the pregnant, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. It is our promise that these will help you better understand the significant and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

• "Pray Without Ceasing"
• "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"
• "Religion Without Works is Dead"
• "Trust in the Lord with All Your Center"
• "All Things Work Together for Good"
• "Be Potent and Courageous"
• "Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Become"
• "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself"
• "Take Every Thought Captive"
• "Practise Non Fear"
• "God is Honey"
• "Middle for an Middle"
• "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
• "I Tin can Do All Things Through Christ"
• "The Lord is my Shepherd"

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Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/how-to-serve-the-lord-you-and-your-house.html

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