Volume 1, Issue 20

November 16, 2008

The Word @ Home

Scripture:  Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25

Thoughts: Joshua, the successor to Moses, led the people of Israel to God’s Promised Land after they were freed from Egypt. He was an incredible man who possessed great leadership qualities, but knew that he would be nothing without God. He remained faithful to him, and challenged the Israelites to do the same. During this time in history people worshipped many gods, and had many idols. We cannot serve more than one God, so we must choose. For Joshua, it was an easy choice to make. Today we may only know of one God, but we still perhaps worship many idols. Something becomes an idol for us when it’s our main focus and priority, and other things in our life revolve around it. It could be anything from money and ambition to fitness and hobbies. While these things aren’t wrong, they can be dangerous if we choose to commit our lives to their pursuit instead of a relationship with God. Joshua knew this when he said, “But as for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord.”

Discussion:  Can you name some “idols” in our culture? How could you identify a potential idol in your life? What would be some red flags to show that certain things are becoming more important than God?

Activities: Look for clues in you life where there may be mini-idols popping up. You can use your checkbook and planner as guides to see where you spend most of your time and money. What are some activities you can incorporate in your week that involve worshipping God?