“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:14-15)

At the end of his life, Joshua presented the nation of Israel with a two-step challenge: a putting off and a taking on. Holding to only one part of this commitment would do no good. If they clung to foreign gods, their spiritual state would resemble that of the surrounding nations. Trying to add the great I AM (Exodus 3:14) into their personal pantheon (syncretism) would not work either. The Lord made it clear, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

For a time, the nation followed the one true God. But as time passed, they began to compromise, and Judges records their cycle of falling away and returning to God. By the end of that book the assessment of their spiritual condition was “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

So what can a believer do to avoid outright rebellion, syncretism, or just simple wandering? Begin each morning with the refreshed decision to “choose you this day whom ye will serve.” The new day will hold temptations, distractions, and general busyness. It is a challenge, but God is pulling for His children (2 Chronicles 16:9)! DWR