Joshua 23-24, Judges 1

"Choose for yourselves today, whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

If you were asked what your priorities were, how would you respond? Family. God. Church. Husband/Wife. Work. Kids. But if you were asked what do your calendar and checkbook say your priorities are, how would they differ from your verbal response?

It is so easy to talk the right talk. I know I've learned all the right answers; first, God; second, wife and kids; third, work. But I have already noticed that words mean little when they are followed by incompatible actions. My wife has nailed me on this several times in our short marriage of five years. It is difficult to practice what you preach.

The Israelites revealed, like many people we encounter today, that they were all talk and no action. Joshua finishes his book charging the Israelites to follow God, arguing the whole time with them that he knew they would fall away. Yet they responded over and over, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord..." (Joshua 24:16) "No, but we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:21).

Well, how "far" was it from them? Exactly one chapter! Judges 1 begins with an ominous recounting... As the Israelites move throughout the Promise Land, over and over in this chapter it is repeated that the Israelites "did not drive [the inhabitants] out completely." This was in direct contrast to what God called them to do. As you read through chapter 1, it is clear that the author is setting the stage for God's curses to fall upon the disobedient children of Israel.

So the question remains for us today, how different are we from being the modern-day equivalents to the Israelites of the Book of Judges? In your life, are you living out your "verbal response?" God had men recount these historical events of the Old Testament for a reason. They are to serve as a reminder to us. They are the examples, good and bad. We are to learn from their mistakes so that we need not repeat them.

So are you the broken record? In some ways, we probably all are. Pick one area where you realized quickly that you need to make a change. For example, if job has come before family too often lately, plan a family dinner out, or Saturday picnic or adventure. I hear its supposed to be nice.

Don't just let the stories of Scripture fall on deaf ears; we must remember that all of it was recorded for a reason. God is not One to be random. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (1 Timothy 3:16).

Allow today's warning passage to prompt you to change, before you experience the consequences of tomorrow's.