In Joshua chapter 24, Joshua has called all the leaders of the nation of Israel together after they had entered into and conquered the land that God had promised them. Previously Israel had been serving as slaves in the land of Egypt over 400 years (Exodus 12:40). There they saw God miraculously defeat all the gods of Egypt. Then Pharoah finally agreed to allow the nation of Israel to depart from Egypt (Exodus 11:1), but before they departed, the nation of Israel received great bounty from the people of Egypt (Exodus 11:2). After they departed, the nation of Israel saw God divide the Red Sea so they could pass through on dry ground (Exodus 14:21-22). They saw God provide them with water from a rock (Exodus 17:6), bread from heaven (Exodus 16:14-15) and meat from the air (Exodus 16:13) to provide for their nutritional sustenance throughout their forty-year wilderness journey. Also, the nation of Israel saw God defeat and drive out the occupants of the land God had promised the nation of Israel, so they could move into houses they had not built and eat crops they had not planted (Deuteronomy 6:10-11).
Will you rely on the Lord God of Heaven… the one who is touched with the feelings of your infirmities?
As Joshua talks to the leaders of the nation of Israel, he gives them a charge to not turn to the gods of Egypt or the gods of the people that previously occupied the land God had given them; but to serve the Lord. To this charge, the leaders of the nation of Israel agreed to only serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
As you face the trials that come into your life, who will you turn to? Will you rely on your own knowledge and abilities? Will you rely on the government, with its massive resources? Will you rely on other people, who are specialists in the area where you have your trials? Or will you rely on the Lord God of Heaven, who has all power, all knowledge, all wisdom and is touched with the feelings of your infirmities? When faced with trials and decisions, we need to do as Joshua did and determine “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.