Joshua 24:19-23: a reflection

19Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins. 20If you forsake the LORD, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.” 21The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” 22Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.” 23“Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

When the people readily declare their intention to serve the LORD, Joshua does a surprising thing: rather than simply accepting their easy commitment, he warns them of its seriousness. You can't serve the LORD, he says, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. Joshua is not saying it is impossible to serve God, but pressing them to see that serving a holy God is no light or casual thing, not to be committed to easily or thoughtlessly. He wants them to count the cost, to see the seriousness of the commitment they are making, before they make it lightly. Only when they insist, We will serve the LORD, does he call them witnesses against themselves and press them to put away their idols. This shows that committing to serve God is a serious thing, not to be undertaken lightly, but with a counting of the cost. To commit to serve a holy God is serious, not to be done lightly. Joshua pressed the people to count the cost of serving God. Serving God is a serious commitment, not a casual one. The commitment to serve God is to be made with the cost counted, not lightly.

Notice Joshua's concern: that the people not take the commitment to serve God lightly. When they easily declared they would serve the LORD, Joshua did not simply accept it; he pressed them, warning that serving a holy God is a serious thing, not to be committed to casually. He wanted them to count the cost, to understand the seriousness of what they were undertaking, before they made the commitment lightly. This is instructive, for we can make commitments to God easily, casually, without weighing what they involve; and Joshua's concern was that the people commit with their eyes open, having counted the cost, rather than making a light and thoughtless promise they might not keep. To serve a holy God is a serious thing, a real commitment that costs something; and it is better to count that cost and commit soberly than to make an easy promise carelessly. Joshua wanted a real, considered commitment, not a casual one. This is why Jesus, too, called those who would follow him to count the cost. To commit to God seriously, having counted the cost, is better than a light and casual promise. Serving God is worth committing to soberly, with the cost weighed. A considered commitment is better than a casual one.

That is worth taking to heart, for committing to serve God is a serious thing, not to be undertaken lightly, but with the cost counted. We can make commitments to God easily and casually, without weighing what they involve, making light promises we may not keep; but Joshua pressed the people to see the seriousness of serving a holy God, to count the cost before committing. To serve God is a real commitment, worth undertaking soberly rather than casually. Do not make a light and casual commitment to serve God; count the cost, and commit soberly, as Joshua pressed the people to do. Do not take lightly the commitment to serve God, but count its cost and commit soberly, as Joshua, when the people readily said they would serve the LORD, pressed them to see that serving a holy God is no casual thing before they committed to it lightly; for we can make commitments to God easily and thoughtlessly, without weighing what they involve, making light promises we may not keep, but to serve a holy God is a serious commitment that costs something, and it is better to count that cost and commit with our eyes open than to make a casual and careless promise, as Joshua wanted a real and considered commitment from the people, and as Jesus too called those who would follow him to count the cost, so that a sober, considered commitment to God is better than a light and easy one.

Lord, when the people readily declare their intention to serve you, Joshua does a surprising thing: rather than simply accepting their easy commitment, he warns them of its seriousness. You can't serve the LORD, he says, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. Joshua is not saying it is impossible to serve you, but pressing them to see that serving a holy God is no light or casual thing, not to be committed to easily or thoughtlessly. He wants them to count the cost before they make it lightly. Only when they insist, We will serve the LORD, does he call them witnesses against themselves and press them to put away their idols. Show me Joshua's concern: that the people not take the commitment to serve you lightly. When they easily declared they would serve you, Joshua did not simply accept it; he pressed them, warning that serving a holy God is a serious thing. He wanted them to count the cost before they made the commitment lightly. This is instructive, for I can make commitments to you easily, casually, without weighing what they involve; and Joshua's concern was that the people commit with their eyes open, having counted the cost, rather than making a light promise they might not keep. This is why Jesus, too, called those who would follow him to count the cost. Take that to my heart, for committing to serve you is a serious thing, not to be undertaken lightly, but with the cost counted. I can make commitments to you easily and casually, making light promises I may not keep; but Joshua pressed the people to count the cost. Keep me from making a light and casual commitment to serve you; help me count its cost and commit soberly, Lord, as Joshua pressed the people to do, that my commitment to you may be real and considered rather than casual.