ROOTED - Monday, February 23, 2026

Joshua 24:14, 15
14 Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond 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.”

Reflection: Choose this day…
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
Joshua, in his dying address to the Children of Israel, lays down for them the clearest and most consequential choice found in the Old Testament: Choose today who you will serve… the true God of your fathers or the false gods. But he states his choice with the boldness of a true and godly leader: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

If I were preaching a sermon on this passage, I would have to narrow down what I would focus on. This passage is full of insights, and I wish to share a few.

1)    There really are merely two options. Serve God. Serve other idols. In the New Testament, Jesus says that no man can serve two masters. But you will serve one. There are no fence riders allowed. Either you are serving and worshipping God, or you are not.
2)    This choice is one that we should be encouraged to make… today. There is no sense in putting off such monumental decisions until tomorrow. Joshua does not allow this decision to be kicked down the road. It is too important.
3)    Parents have a responsibility to lead their family in this decision. It is a proactive decision that does not leave open the option that “my kids should choose for themselves.” This may be a hot take, but godly parents should, effectively, live in ways that assumes that “we as a family are going to honor God.” That is my humble opinion.

Bonus observation: we will fail to serve God perfectly. Every day recommit to serve God. Our commitment needs to be a daily one! 

Prayer 
Lord, help us to be like Joshua, serving you all the days of our lives, putting away the heart idols that so often lead us astray.