January 2, 2019
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15
Whenever I am preparing a devotional for the first of the year, it always gets a little stressful for me. I feel there is pressure to develop some incredibly groundbreaking and inspirational thought that will be our theme throughout the rest of the year. But as I think about my personal plan for the coming year, it is quite simple; as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
We live in a world that has chosen to serve all kinds of gods. Some serve the god of vanity, some serve the god of wealth, some serve the god of worldly power, and some serve the god of impressive facades. In the midst of this idol worship, the most important thing and the very simple thing that we are called to do is lead our household in serving the Lord. When it comes to making a lasting impact in our world, great apologetic presentations, the words of Biblical scholars, and gifted preachers all pale in comparison to a Godly household living out their service to the Lord in the midst of their community. So this year, keep it simple. As the world around me desperately seeks significance in their idols, my household will serve the Lord.
Heavenly Father, do not let us complicate Your plan for our lives. Empower us to be a people who simply serve You in the little and seemingly mundane events throughout the year. In that way, use us to reach a lost and hurting world.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon
