22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.
23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”
25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.
There was a covenant between God and Israel. This is a contract. The people stated that they would never forsake the Lord. The purpose of Israel was to be a holy nation that would influence the rest of the world for God. Israel got preoccupied with the land and lost sight of God. Have you gotten preoccupied with material things in your life? Are you spending most of your time on the means that you have forgotten the purpose to glorify God? Take a look at your life and reflect on what you make important. The way you live shows others the strength of your commitment to serving God.
