In the midst of his leadership, Joshua confronted a common problem—the people of God were struggling with divided devotion. They wanted to serve God, but they also kept one foot in the practices and idols of the nations around them. Joshua’s response was a powerful declaration that continues to resonate: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
This pivotal moment comes at the end of Joshua’s life as he addresses the Israelites, urging them to make a choice:
“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:14-15).
Choose Today Whom You Will Serve
Joshua’s words call us to an undivided commitment to God. It’s not about following God when it’s convenient or when His ways align with our preferences. It’s about choosing to go all-in with Him, even when it’s uncomfortable or counter-cultural. Today, many of us face similar temptations to hedge our bets—to follow God when it’s easy, but abandon His ways when it’s hard.
But Joshua’s declaration is a challenge to every family, every household, to make a clear and firm stand: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” It’s a model I strive to live by in my own home. Surrounded by a world full of doubt, fear, and compromise, this is the commitment that keeps us anchored and moving forward in faith.
Faith Faces Forward
God has called us to move things forward—to see His kingdom advance, to lead our families in His ways, and to set a vision for our homes that aligns with His purposes. This isn’t a passive mission. We can’t afford to just “go with the flow” because, as any swimmer knows, the ocean’s current doesn’t bring you back to safety. If we drift, we are pulled away from where we’re meant to be.
The Apostle Paul speaks to this kind of forward-facing faith:
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Paul’s approach to life and faith is one of relentless forward movement. We’re not meant to stay in the same place or to cling to the past. Instead, we are called to press forward into the new things God is doing.
Isaiah echoes this call:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Don’t Camp in Haran
In Genesis 11, we find the story of Terah, Abraham’s father, who set out for the promised land but stopped in a place called Haran—a place he was never meant to settle in. Haran was a city that shared the name of Terah’s deceased son. Instead of moving forward to Canaan, the land God had promised. Some biblical commentaries suggest that Terah stopped and lived in his grief and pain.
“Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there” (Genesis 11:31).
Terah’s journey appears to be halted by the very real weight of his past, and he never reached his intended destination. For many of us, this story hits close to home. We, too, can get stuck in places of pain, frustration, or complacency, never moving forward into the promises of God.
Press Forward for the Sake of Your Family
The danger of settling is that it doesn’t just affect us—it impacts those around us. Abraham had to continue the journey that his father had abandoned. He had to take up the call to move forward when Terah could not.
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you’” (Genesis 12:1-2).
As parents, leaders, and believers, we need to ensure we’re not holding our families back in places God has called us to move through. The choices we make, whether to stay stuck in Haran or to press on toward Canaan, have a profound impact on our children and the generations that follow.
Movement Matters
So, what direction are you heading in? What are you modeling for your children or those who look up to you? Intentions don’t determine our destination; our direction does. If we want to see the promises of God fulfilled, we need to take action and move forward, no matter how small the steps might seem.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
The call is clear: don’t stay stuck. Don’t camp out in the valley when God has a new place for you. Faith faces forward. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. It’s a choice to step out of Haran, to press into the new season, and to move forward into the promises of God.
Let’s commit today to move forward, to realign our families with God’s vision, and to declare with renewed zeal: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
By Doug Cameron