DEVOTION – DAY 340

Joshua 24:15 “Choosing God First”

Joshua: 24:15 “But if serving the Lord seem undesirable to you, then, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

In Joshua 24, Joshua had led the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan. He had led the people to settle in the land previously occupied by the Amorites. It was time to remind the Israelites of God’s goodness. It was time for Joshua to gather the twelve tribes of Israel to renew their covenant with the Lord in Shechem. Joshua gave the people a choice. He reminded them of God’s faithfulness and goodness over them. The Israelites could serve the Lord, or they could serve the idols of the Amorites. But Joshua announced that he and his household would faithfully serve the Lord. In reply, the Israelites also said they would serve the Lord.

Today, Christians are also confronted by a choice. Do they want to live their lives serving idols or do they want to serve the Lord who is faithful and good? We see that in the example of the life of the famous American pop star, Katy Perry. She was brought up in a conservative Christian family. Both her parents were pastors who spent their lives planting small churches. Katy Perry did not have a rich childhood because her parents never had much money. But God provided them with homes to live in, and they never went hungry. She and her siblings had proper schooling. She was able to develop her singing and songwriting skills. From a young age, she was able to join in the singing of gospel songs and in the music ministry in the churches that her parents pastored in. God is good and faithful to her.

But Katy Perry wanted more than that. She wanted fame and wealth and success that was measured by the world’s standards. So, after the failure of her first gospel album, she left her home and secured a recording contract with a commercial label. She changed her image and focused on pop songs. Her first hit was “I kissed a girl.” She went on to have several successful albums. She is a top singer in the US with millions of fans. She has fame, wealth and success, but it came with a cost. She has gone far from her Christian faith. She had chosen the world over a life close to God. She had forgotten how good God was to her.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship You for You are good and faithful all the time. Help us to always count our blessings and not be tempted by what the world has to offer us. Because what You have for us is much better, and it is eternal. We pray this in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. Why are people tempted by what the world has to offer them? Discuss.
  2. What are some things that tempt you away from God and why are they tempting? Share.
  3. How has God been good and faithful to you?
  4. Why should you always choose God over the things of this world? Discuss.