A Consistent Life - Joshua

Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:14-15

What do the following men have in common?

• —The man who reads his Bible and prays every day
• —The man who always shows up for work on time and puts in his best effort until he goes home on time
• —The man who takes his family to church every Sunday and Wednesday and leads family prayer and Bible study

You can count on each of these men because they demonstrate consistency in some of life’s most important areas.

One of the greatest character qualities of any leader—spiritual, family, business, or military—is the willingness to consistently “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk.”

Joshua was that kind of leader.

Like every flesh-and-blood man, Joshua had his flaws, but he consistently exercised his faith and obeyed the God who called him to lead. That’s why he could confidently challenge his people to “choose today whom you will serve.”

Joshua spoke those words as part of a speech of rededication and recommitment to the covenant God had made with his people at Sinai. He dared the Israelites to rid their lives of any remnants of idol worship and choose instead to consistently and wholeheartedly serve and obey God.

Joshua established himself as a hero of the faith partly because he bravely led his people into the Promised Land through what could have been some serious military and spiritual potholes. More than that, we consider him a hero because he consistently served and obeyed God.

God blesses you when you choose to follow, trust, and serve him with everything you have. “Steady as she goes” tends to be a lot more effective in the long run than “Full speed ahead! Ramming speed! No, full reverse! No, . . .” Strive for consistency.