“You mean, I can choose to believe in Jesus?” my young Nepali friend asked in surprise as I was giving her a ride to the grocery store. She was an international student at the same university I was attending and had been coming for several months to a weekly Bible study. As we were discussing her thoughts regarding the study, she suddenly became shocked by the realization that she could choose what to believe. She had grown up in a culture where faith was something she was born into, with no choice given to her.
Throughout the book of Joshua, God showed He’s completely worthy to be trusted and followed. In fact, “not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled” (Joshua 21:45). Toward the end of Joshua’s life, he reminded the people of Israel of all the incredible things God had done for them and gave them a challenge—to choose whom they would follow and serve.
The people of Israel were at a crossroads in which they had to make a decision whether to “serve the Lord alone” or serve the idols of the nations surrounding them (Joshua 24:14). God certainly could have forced them to follow Him, but He didn’t do that. Instead, He allowed them to choose. As Joshua said, “If you refuse to serve the Lord , then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? . . . But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Today, God allows us to choose whom we’ll follow just as He did with the Israelites thousands of years ago. We need not allow culture and tradition to be the basis on which we make our decision. May we, like Joshua, have the courage to choose to serve God as He draws us!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Daniel 3:1-30
More:
In Acts 26:1-23, note the testimony of one who had lived by cultural and religious rules but after encountering Jesus chose to follow Him.
Next:
What is holding you back from following God? Why would it be wise to choose to serve Him today?
sandy229 on May 31, 2017 at 12:02 am
So nice to see you here again Estera! It’s such a joy to be able to worship God and follow His ways. I know His ways our not our ways, but we can learn as He lovingly teaches us how to obey Him, and tell others about Him, so they can worship Him too. It is a wise decision to follow God’s ways instead of man. We have to put down every idle, anything that is keeping us from putting God first so that we can truly worship Him and love Him because He first loved us.
To serve God means to give our allegiance exclusively to God. The word serve is used six times in these 2 verses, 14 & 15. Joshua did not call the people to choose because he believed there were two options from God’s perspective. Doing so offered him the opportunity to affirm his own loyalty to God and to urge a similar response from the people.
Gary Shultz on May 31, 2017 at 6:02 am
Hi Estera: As Sandy has said, “it is a wise decision to follow God’s ways instead of man.” I believe strongly God respects choice. As our scripture today and your invitation to make a spiritual choice, so we must chose. But the choice must be continually renewed each day. Not that God does not respond to a cry to him for the saving of our souls, but the daily walk. Like the Jewish nation we must see what God has done and rid ourselves from those things that pull us away from Him. Each day we must make a conscience decision to walk in the path of righteousness, each day we must chose to ignore idols that would pull us away. Yes, we are very thankful for the ability to make a decision of faith and for God’s faithfulness to help our journey. Thanks Estera
don777 on May 31, 2017 at 6:21 am
Free will every day all day. Two choices on the shelf Serve God or serve yourself. Do i believe ??? Are my actions are the result of my belief ? I think so. Do i keep the commandments because i Love Him or out of law? Oh Lord, i believe but help my unbelief, Give me the strength to let go of self, & the strength to hold on to you. i need a Savior this day. +>i
minkjh on May 31, 2017 at 12:32 pm
Oh Estera, such a beautiful account you have given us for today. You have saved the best for last, though…’He draws us’. A powerful testimony to John 6:44, 65 indeed! As Paul reiterated in Romans 8:29-30 & 2 Thessalonians 2:14 it is only with God’s foreknowledge of whom he predestines that we get the opportunity to choose to complete the transforming process of conversion. We are incapable of doing this on our own since our hearts are hard by nature and remain so unless the supernatural work of grace takes place as 1 John 4:19 tells us. I pray your friend continued to choose wisely and followed the Spirit’s leading.
Tom Felten on May 31, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Estera, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words to the spiritually cold, indifferent church of Laodicea: “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (Revelation 3:20). What an amazing Savior who knocks on the door and allows us to answer!