“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

If you don’t have Joshua 24:15 hanging somewhere as part of your home décor, you’ve been in the house of someone who does. This Bible verse is a wonderful visual reminder to “choose this day whom you will serve.”

While we were created to serve and have a relationship with the one true God, sin causes us to make idols in our hearts and worship a multitude of other “gods.” Even worse, we actually act like mini gods ourselves. We demand to be in the center of our world, the place that should be reserved for God and God alone.

We want to be sovereign, and we want to be worshiped. We establish our own law and punish people who get in our way and break our rules. We take credit for what only God could produce. We tell ourselves that we’re entitled to what we don’t deserve. We complain when we don’t get whatever it is that we want. 

In living for our glory, we steal glory that belongs to God.

It’s so important to remind ourselves daily, hourly, and minute by minute to “fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14).

As much as I love these verses, I might argue that there’s a better Old Testament passage to hang in your house. It’s found in 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 after David had collected the offerings from the people of Israel to build the temple.

“Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” (ESV)

Okay, fair enough - that passage probably isn’t “minimalist” enough for modern home design. But the vision of God that David paints for his people should capture the thoughts of our minds and the imagination of our hearts every day.

There is only One who exists in the universe who is ultimate in glory, ultimate in greatness, ultimate in beauty, and ultimate in perfection. He is all these things in everything he is and does. God has no glory inconsistency, and he has no glory rival.

Everything comes from him, everything that is continues to exist through him, and everything is made for him (Romans 11:36). He is the bright and stunning star in the center of eternity, history, what is physical, what is spiritual, what is now, and what is to come. All life is found in him. 

To live in light of God’s glory is not just about being spiritual. It is about recapturing your humanity, because this is how every human being was designed to live.

As for you and your house, that’s Someone whom you should choose to serve this day!

God bless,

Paul David Tripp

Reflection Questions

1. What Bible verses do you have on display in your home? If none, why should you consider adding at least one? If you’ve had the same one on display for a long time, do you no longer see it every day? Is it time to add a new one as a fresh visual reminder?

2. How have you acted like a “mini-god” this week? Where have you demanded to be in the center? Specifically, have you punished people who got in your way and broke your rules? To whom do you need to apologize?

3. What idols are you struggling not to worship? How can you take practical steps to tear them down? Be specific, and ask others for help. Are you afraid or embarrassed to admit your idolatry and need for help to others?

4. Where is God calling you individually - or you and your family, if you have one - to serve him sacrificially? Be specific regarding the time, location, and relationships where he has placed you. What other commitments or priorities are getting in the way of you serving to the maximum extent?