Fri.’s Devo - Choose You This Day Who You Will Serve -

Read: Joshua 24:1-33; Luke 21:1-28; Psalm 89:38-52; Proverbs 13:20-23 Joshua called the leaders, elders, judges and officers of all the tribes to Shechem. He gave a speech telling them all God had done for them. He made sure they understood that God did this, not them. It wasn’t their swords or bows that had brought them victory over their enemies, it was God. It was not them who built the towns they were living in or planted the vineyards and olive groves they were enjoying. God gave them to them. Joshua asked them who they wanted to serve, the God who had done all this for them or the gods they had left in Egypt. Joshua told them that he and his household were going to serve God. They all agreed that they did too. Joshua told them to get rid of all their idols and turn their hearts to the Lord. They promised to do this. Joshua made a covenant with the Lord for him and the people that they would follow the decrees and regulations of the Lord. As a reminder he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the terebinth tree beside the tabernacle of the Lord. He told them that this stone had heard everything the Lord said to the and would be a witness against them if they went back on their word. They stayed true to the Lord as long as Joshua and the elders who had personally experienced all that the Lord had done for Israel. They buried the bones of Joseph in Shechem which was a city of refuge. Eleazar died and was buried in Ephraim also but in the town of Gibeah. In Luke, Jesus commended the small gift of the women who gave all she had, over the large gifts of the Pharisees who gave for attention and the honor of men. The disciples got distracted by the beauty of the Temple and its huge stonework and decorations on the walls. Jesus told them in the end it would all be destroyed. He described what the world would be like right before he returned. Everything in the universe will be disrupted and dysfunctional. People will live in terror at what they are seeing. Then, Jesus will come on a cloud with power and great glory. To those who are living at this time, he said to stand and look up, for your salvation is near! Lord, thank you for salvation. We choose to serve you and not the gods of this world. This world is not our home. Thank you for the promise of heaven.