As For Us?

Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. This man chosen of God to lead Israel after Moses, uttered the famous words " as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD..." I was under the impression, for some reason or other, that he made this statement of faith at the beginning of his journey; he said this at the end of his journey.


What a testament of Joshua's confidence in the faithfulness, love and mercies of God! At the end of the road, as the "door is closing" (as Rev. Cooper has said concerning his time here), to proclaim with a clear mind that the God who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, never left or forsook us!


All along life's journey we are confident that He is always near; no matter the stormy sea, no matter the mountains quaking, no matter the heavens and earth in an uproar. He is here with us. No matter the financial difficulties, the health issues, whether ours or a loved one, He is here with us. We learn through the process. It is like the travel and travails through the Wilderness in the days of Moses, Aaron and Joshua.
Just on a different level. He is still a cloud by day to comfort us from the burning sun, a pillar of fire by night to warm us if we would only draw near.


At the beginning of Joshua's journey with the first conquest God gave Israel, the walls of Jericho fell down. The second conquest was a mighty city called Ai. Joshua chapter 8 says that God spoke to Joshua and said, " Fear not, neither be thou dismayed; take the people of war with you...I HAVE GIVEN into thy hand ~

1. The king of Ai
2. The king's people
3. The king's city
4. And the king's land.


" do unto Ai as you did unto Jericho and her king; only this time take the spoil for yourselves..."



After such victories, why did Joshua have to say at the end of his days, reiterate as it were, that "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."?



What was it with the Children of Israel that they kept images and idols from Egypt, even the children of the ones who died in the Wilderness were doing the same thing; still wavering and tempting God? God told Moses that the adults in the Wilderness travels would not enter into the Promise Land because of unbelief; but their children would. Here we have Joshua, many years later again having to emphasise to the ones who did enter in, that as for him and his house, the LORD, He is God.


The Bible says God knows His people are bent on backslidding. Consider, these troubled ones had no revelation of the coming of Christ to the earth, the life, death and Resurrection of Christ, or the gospel of good news, or the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the heavenlies given to our generation by the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos. Why do I waiver at times?


When Joshua first was called of God to pick up Moses mantle, God told him repeatedly in Joshua 1:5, 1:7, 1:9, and chapter 8:1 to "fear not, I will be with you, I will deliver you, I have already won the battle for you, be strong and courageous, I will not fail you, do not be afraid or dismayed..."


How does this apply to us?


We may be soon facing days when California falls into the sea, the economy finally falls through the abyss, or a terrorist attack destroys important parts of our nation; never to recover to our present state. If this occurs, we will, each one of us, need the confidence, fortitude, courage and faith of Joshua, that God means what He says; what He does for one ( Joshua ) He will do for each of us in our area of influence and in our homes.


No matter what the future may hold, whether good or ill, we must have the mindset of Habakkuk when he said ~

" Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat,
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stall,
YET, ( YET) , I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation,
He is my strength,
He will make my feet like deer feet and make me walk upon my high places."



Remember, FEAR NOT, BE OF GOOD COURAGE,
when terror strikes at our hearts, remember our place in God;
His promises to us, His faithfulness and compassion and love toward those that are His. Like Joshua, when we reach the end of our days, may we proclaim boldly, that no matter what ~

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!!