Choices

Aim: To consciously consider and choose the God we will serve.

Exegesis: God provides His church guidance for the choices we have to make (v. 14). There is the issue of judgment: ''Fear...''; the issue of integrity: ''Serve...''; the issue of holiness: ''Put away...'' God provides His church responsibility for the choices we will make (v. 15a). In so doing, He calls us to account and causes us to think. God provides His church courage to embrace our (good) choices (v. 15b). No matter what others do, we are to be faithful to our God and we are to be shepherds of souls.

Key verse: v. 15 ''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.''