Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve 

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BY PATRICE TSAGUE

How committed are you to the ways of the LORD?
Have you fully rejected all traditions and habits that do not honor Christ?
Will you make a renewed commitment to faithfully serve the LORD all the days of your life?

Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve 

The fear of the LORD is losing its meaning more and more in the world today, and the temptation to compromise and not stand firm for truth and righteousness continues to increase. Even as Biblical Entrepreneurs who have committed to building Kingdom businesses, we sometimes struggle to give up old habits. We also may struggle to let go of the ways of our parents and cultural traditions when they run counter to the ways of the LORD.  

Every now and then, we must renew our commitment to God, and shed any leftovers that we have not fully let go of since we believed. There is a common saying which says, “Please don’t judge me because God’s not through with me yet”. While it is true that we are all a work in progress, we must not use this as an excuse to hold on to habits, behavior, and attitudes that we know are contrary to the Word of God. We need to develop the courage and the discipline to let go and allow God to shape us into His image and likeness.  

That was Joshua’s challenge to the children of Israel. Joshua was God’s chosen successor to Moses. He assumed the leadership and responsibility of bringing the nation of Israel to the promised land (Deuteronomy 31:7-8; Joshua 1:1-6). 

Joshua led the people to a successful conquest of Cannan and was able to settle them in their new homeland. Before his death, he gave his farewell address where he reminded them of everything God had done in their lives and the fact that the same God who brought them this far would be with them until the end. But there was a condition –  they needed to continue to obey him and faithfully serve Him. If they did not obey and continue to serve Him, they would face God’s anger and wrath (Joshua 23-24). 

After Joshua completed his farewell address, he entreated the people to forsake all of the false gods that their fathers had served before they came to the promised land and not to serve the gods of the land that they conquered, but to remain faithful to the God Jehovah and to renew their covenant with Him (Joshua 23:16; Joshua 24:14-25).

Through Christ, there is a new covenant through which we can have a level of relationship with God that the Israelites could not (Hebrews 9:15). And although we walk under grace, we are still called – in fact, even more so – to leave ungodly habits and traditions behind (Ephesians 4:20-24). 

Will you reject any semblance of the traditions and ways of your parents and culture that do not honor Christ? Will you refuse to compromise and take on the ungodly ways of those you do business with no matter how helpful or expedient it may seem? We are called to be salt and light wherever we are and in whatever sphere of influence we are operating in (Matthew 5:13-16).

My prayer for you today is that God will give you the grace to stand firm to your faith, to be salt and light wherever He has placed you, and to make a renewed commitment to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength as a witness in the marketplace.