Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
When my family moved across the country, my wife and I had the great joy of going through everything that we had built up over 10 years together. This meant every room, the entire garage, any spot of storage. We had to go through our stuff, and what we did was decide what was worth keeping in our lives. There was a lot of stuff that we immediately said, yes, we're taking this with us.
There was a lot of stuff that quickly moved into the donation piles and the big dumpster that we had outside of our house. What this process showed us was not only what had value intrinsically, but what we had given value to. Because honestly, there were some expensive things that we just said, you know what? This isn't worth taking, and we gave it away.
We regret some of that now. But there was also some stuff that most people would probably consider junk that we just had come to love over the years. We had said that those items held value in our lives, and it was something that we wanted to hold on to.
The Spiritual Parallel
How often I do this spiritually. How often do I go through my life and look at the things that I've chosen to give value to that maybe aren't worth saving? What are the things that I've pushed aside that are valuable, that God wants me to pull near?
This is the same question that was posed to the Israelites in the book of Joshua, as Joshua was coming to the end of his life, and as the people had entered into the Promised Land, God was preparing to renew His covenant with the people. But Joshua explains that there was a barrier, a wall. Because of their sin, they could not serve and honor the Lord. The people cry out, "No, please, Joshua, we want to be with the Lord."
Joshua responds with our verse here today, Joshua chapter 24, verse 23 says, "All right then," Joshua said, "destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel."
What Do We Hold Valuable?
This was a test of sorts to ask the Israelites to really consider, what do you hold valuable? What do you want to keep in your life? Because if you truly want to be with God, then He needs your whole heart. Maybe we don't have the same sorts of idols that they might have had—little figurines. But there are things in our life that have taken the place of God. There are good things that we've put in a place that they don't belong.
I encourage you to take time every day to look around you and go, where are my priorities misplaced? Where are there things that are preventing me from fully embracing life with Jesus in the way that He wants me to live? It's not a bad thing. God doesn't want to take good things from you to rob you of your joy. He wants to take away things that are preventing you from experiencing the full life in the Spirit that He wants to offer you.
Casting Our Idols Aside
We should have this sort of heart that Joshua calls the Israelites to have, to be glad and willing. All right, then, let's take these idols. Let's cast them aside so that we can turn our hearts fully and completely to God.
I encourage you, do that cleansing regularly. Cast those idols aside, and let's turn our hearts to a good and gracious God.