As for Me and My FAMILY: Choosing to Serve the Lord
Every household has a foundation. For some families, it’s careers. For others, it’s sports, academics, or the pursuit of comfort. Those foundations might seem strong at first, but when pressure comes, they reveal cracks. A house built on the wrong foundation cannot stand. Joshua reminded the people of Israel that the only unshakable foundation for a household is the Lord. His words echo across time:
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
God Is the Ultimate Source of Your Family
Joshua stood before Israel and reminded them of everything God had done:
“So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.” — Joshua 24:13
Their provision was not the result of their own effort. It was the result of God’s generosity. The same is true for us. The ultimate source of your family is God, not you.
When we forget this, we start to believe that everything depends on our own strength.
We work harder, stress more, and live under constant pressure. But when we remember God as the source, our homes shift from striving to gratitude. Gratitude shapes the culture of a household. It keeps us humble. It teaches the next generation that everything we enjoy is a gift from God.
God Is the Ultimate Leader and Protector
Parents often carry the weight of believing they must protect their family from every possible danger. But Joshua reminded Israel that their true protector had always been the Lord.
The same is true for us. The ultimate leader and protector of your family is God, not you.
Peter gives a clear warning:
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8
Notice the imagery: a roaring lion, always on the hunt. The greatest threat to our families is not physical but spiritual. We can put locks on doors and filters on devices, but if our homes are not spiritually guarded, we are still vulnerable.
Spiritual protection is far more important than physical protection. That’s why prayer, reading the Bible, and worship are not optional extras. They are the defenses that keep our households standing strong.
God Is the Ultimate Provider
One of the greatest pressures on families is provision. Bills pile up, needs feel endless, and the weight of “providing” can become overwhelming. But Joshua reminded Israel that even the food they ate and the land they lived on had come from God.
The ultimate provider of your family is God, not you.
Deuteronomy 8:18 says:
“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
This truth frees us from fear. Provision is not dependent solely on our effort but on God’s faithfulness. It also shifts our posture from clinging to resources to releasing them in generosity. When we recognize God as the provider, our homes become places of open hands, not closed fists.
Choosing Who Your Household Will ServE
Joshua’s final words cut through distraction and indecision:
“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… But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:14–15
The people of Israel had to decide. Serving the Lord was not something that would happen automatically. It required a deliberate choice. And it required throwing away the false gods that competed for their worship.
Our false gods might not look like carved idols, but they still demand devotion: success, money, comfort, independence, approval. To serve God with faithfulness, we must clear away anything that competes for our allegiance.
Serving the Lord means making Him the first priority in your home—not just on Sundays, but every day.
HOW to Lead a Household That Serves the Lord
1️⃣ Pray together regularly
Short, simple prayers at meals or before bed can establish a rhythm of dependence on God.
2️⃣ Read Scripture in your home
Even brief moments of reading together anchor your family in truth.
3️⃣ Make worship part of daily life
Play worship music, sing together, or talk about what you heard on Sunday.
4️⃣ Model grace and forgiveness
Let your children see you repent, apologize, and forgive.
5️⃣ Commit to community
Be consistent in church gatherings. Serve together. Show that church is essential, not optional.
These practices are not about adding pressure but about building rhythms that declare: Our household belongs to the Lord.
The Legacy of a Household That Serves
Joshua’s declaration was not just about his generation—it was about the generations that would follow. The legacy of a household that serves the Lord is not measured by possessions or achievements but by the faith it passes on.
Romans 8:31 reminds us,
“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
When we choose to serve God as a household, we align with His promises and His power. We declare to our children, our community, and the watching world: Our home belongs to the Lord.
Let this be the commitment that defines us:
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
Further Resources
The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch – on cultivating spiritual life in a digital age
Raising Kingdom Kids by Tony Evans – on equipping children to impact the world for Christ
Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones by Matt Chandler & Adam Griffin – practical guide for leading your family spiritually
