A Watershed Choice

A Watershed Choice

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .”

Joshua 24:15

We were taught in school that the Rocky Mountains were the great watershed of the United States, that rain falling on one side would flow to the Atlantic via the Gulf of Mexico and that rain falling on the other side would eventually make its way to the Pacific Ocean.  There are choices in life which are what we might call “watershed choices.”  Having chosen one way, we then proceed to an end totally different from the one we would have obtained had we made the other choice.  Our text for today presents such a watershed choice.

Joshua had assembled all the tribes together at Shechem.  After reciting to them a history of the providential dealings of God with them, Joshua sets before them this most momentous of choices:  “Choose you this day whom he will serve.”  Joshua was setting this choice before people who were the professing people of God.  It perhaps points out most clearly that those who would consider themselves to be God’s people do have such a momentous watershed choice set before them.  Joshua emphasizes that this choice is personal by his use of the term ‘you.’  You must make the choice for yourself, by yourself as to whom you will serve.  It is a choice that you must make within this scene of time.  So Joshua declares ‘this day’ is the time when you must choose.  Having said that, it is a choice with clear alternatives.  Joshua sets forth Jehovah on the one hand and the gods of the pagans (past or present) on the other.  For himself, Joshua proclaims that he has made his choice already.  ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’

Christ calls us unto His service, but promised rest at the same time.  He said, ‘Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. . . ‘  We will serve someone.  Christ is the Master who is beyond compare.  No other Master so loves us, has so sacrificed for us, and so desires our good, both for time and for eternity.  Before the God of heaven today, as the question lies before you, what will you answer?  It is the watershed choice that will make all the difference as to your future.

Our Great and Gracious God,

teach us how to serve you.

Enable us to wholeheartedly seek to serve

You today, and everyday.

Where the Bush is Burning

Tomm Tice