July 7, 2024 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART
by Cheryl Zamora
“We exist to glorify God” are the first five words of our church’s mission statement. It is a fitting reminder of the motivation for everything that we do. Towards the end of Joshua’s life, he challenged Israel: “…honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Serve the Lord alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve… But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14,15 NLT). How can I make sure I am serving the Lord? Why is it important that my household / family is seeking and serving the Lord in worship?
To make sure that we are worshiping and serving the Lord alone, we must get rid of our idols. Joshua 24:19, 23-24 NLT “19 Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 23 “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”
It is also important that our household/family is seeking, worshiping and serving the Lord. Family worship affects the way we worship corporately. The Lord specifically gave instructions to families about how God should be foremost in all aspects of life (4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
Faithful worship of God alone brings God’s favor and blessings (further recommended reading – Joshua 23-24).