Holy Spirit of God, help us imitate Christ Jesus as I and my household serve you…

 
 
Joshua 24:1-18 & Ephesians 4:32-5:32

 
WWJD?  - What Would Jesus Do – still finds its way onto bracelets and coffee cups.  Living into what Jesus would do, and not becoming cozy with the sins of this age, takes a great deal of (divine) wisdom. Every day a new iteration of sin comes up in conversation, in the media or at the corner store sugar coated and prettied up to make it appear to be ‘good’.  It is easy to swallow ‘just this one little thing’ and carry on.  But that was not the way of Joshua, the successor to Moses, and pre-cursor of Jesus who led the Hebrews into the Promised Land. ‘Choose this day whom you will serve…’ Joshua told his people.  Nor was it the way of Jesus, who was crucified for serving his Father’s Mercy agenda.   Both Joshua and Jesus turned their back on the lure of the temptations to part ways with God. Joshua forced Hebrew families to make a choice, to turn to God or away from God. Days before his arrest, torture and death Jesus laid out the program in stark terms as well:  “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  But among you are some who do not believe.” Depending on how we believe we will act, and depending on how we act, we will work for or against God’s merciful plans for justice and holiness for this world that we live in. Scripture is full of teachings, nuggets of wisdom, and clear guidance on what to do in any and all of life’s circumstances. Jesus’ life and ministry show us how we must apply the Word and to serve the Living God.  Will we, my household and I, choose self-referenced paths of comfort, security, fame and fortune, or will we choose to imitate Christ who chose humble obedience to the light and love and life of Father God?  Holy Spirit of God, help us imitate Christ Jesus as we,  I and my household, serve you.
 
 Look to him and be radiant so your faces shall never be ashamed.    (Psalm 34:5)
 
All that is in the world is vanity except to love God and serve him only.
― Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
 
Soli ad gloriam
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