6月10日
標 題:至於我和我家
經 節:若是你們以事奉耶和華為不好,今日就可以選擇所要事奉的:是你們列祖在大河那邊所事奉的神呢?是你們所住這地的亞摩利人的神呢?至於我和我家,我們必定事奉耶和華。(約書亞記廿四章15節)
事奉神不是約書亞惟一的選擇。他大可在埃及那異教的環境,持有他自己的宗教信仰及承繼家族的遺產。他也大可接受自己居住所在地的鄰居們,所擁有的偶像崇拜宗教信仰。這些選擇看起來似乎比敬拜真神要來得容易多了。然而,約書亞已經親眼見識到神的信實(約書亞記廿三:14)。他相信他的主是惟一真神,事奉祂將帶來勝利與祝福。
約書亞決定要獨排眾議事奉神,也定意要教導自己全部的家人尊榮主。在戰場上,他相信神必賜下勝利;而在自己家中,他知道神也會給他屬靈的勝利。
你也是一樣,你必須決定自己到底要事奉誰。你身邊有各樣受人歡迎的宗教,它們大聲叫囂引你重視,要你對它們忠誠。如果你是在基督教家庭背景長大,你可能選擇接受你的父母及祖父母的信仰。如果你不是在基督教家庭背景長大,你也可以選擇像約書亞一樣,拒絕異教信仰,並且開始一個事奉神的家族。
倘若你全心全意要事奉神,你的榜樣會給家人帶來豐碩的祝福。倘若你把信心創建在神的身上,你四周的人會親眼看見你的信心,他們可能也會決定要相信祂。要像約書亞一樣,選擇全心全意放膽地事奉神,你將會看到神如何祝福你的家庭。
As for Me and My
House
And if it seems
evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side
of 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. (Joshua 24:15)
Serving God was not Joshua's only option. He could have adopted the
religious beliefs and practices of his family heritage in the pagan land of
Egypt. He could have accepted the idolatrous religion of his neighbors in the
region where he now lived. These options probably looked like easier choices
than worshiping God. But Joshua had witnessed God's faithfulness (Josh. 23:14).
He was convinced that his Lord was the only true God and that serving Him would
bring victory and blessing. Joshua decided to serve God alone. He was
determined to teach his entire household to honor his Lord as well. He had
trusted God for victory on the battlefield, and he knew that God could also
give him spiritual victory in his home.
You, too, must decide whom you will serve. An assortment of popular
religions clamors for your allegiance. If you come from a Christian heritage,
you may choose to embrace the faith of your parents and grandparents. If you
did not grow up in a Christian home, you can decide, as Joshua did, to reject
your heritage of unbelief and begin a generation that serves the Lord.
If you set your mind wholeheartedly on serving God, your example will
bring a tremendous blessing to your family. If you place your confidence in
God, those around you will witness your faith, and they may decide to trust Him
too. Choose, as Joshua did, to serve God unashamedly with all your heart, and
then watch to see how God blesses your family.