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Choosing God is More Than a Choice
Joshua 24:14
"Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD."
To say that you are going to make God the God of your life is an easy thing to say, but to follow through with the choice of serving Him is what shows whether you truly chose God. Joshua presented the children of Israel with the choice of serving God or the gods of the heathen. However, he also showed them that three things would be present if they actually made God their choice. He was trying to show them that choosing God is more than just a choice. If this choice was a reality, there would be other things present in their life that proved that choice to be true.
I often say when I preach that you don't get right with God when you walk down to the altar to make a decision, but you get right with God when you walk out the doors and put into action what you decided to do at the altar. The altar is where the decision is made, but following through with the decision after it is made is when you get right with God. Likewise, choosing God is simply a decision, but you actually choose God when three things are present in your life.
First, you choose God when you begin to fear Him. The verse above says, "Now therefore fear the LORD,..." Fearing God will always be present when you decide to serve God. This is your attitude towards God. When a person decides to make God their God, then their attitude towards God will change. There attitude will change from being flippant towards God speaking to them to an attitude of reverence and respect of what God can do to them and for them. Fearing God is simply respecting what God's power can do to you if you don't obey Him, and what His power can do for you when you do obey Him. When you choose God to be your God, then your attitude towards God will certainly change.
Second, you choose God when you begin to serve Him. The verse above says, "...serve him in sincerity and in truth:..." Choosing God will turn into an action. However, your service to God will have sincerity and truth with it. When you choose God, you will serve God with your entirety. In other words, you will not serve God halfheartedly, but you will serve Him with your entire being. Moreover, you will also serve God in truth. This means when you choose to serve God, you will faithfully serve Him. Serving God in truth means that you won't be in and out with your service, but you will be faithful in your service. Action will follow someone who truly chooses to serve God.
The last thing that will be present when you choose to serve God will be where you place God. The verse above says, "...put away the gods..." When you choose God to be your God, then you will put away anything that would cause God not to be number one in your life. Sometimes what we will have to put away is not bad, but it is something that has taken preeminence in our lives over God. When you choose to serve God, then He will have the proper position in your life.
Have you really chosen God to be your God? If you have, then these things will be present in your life.