Daily Readings - Sat Aug 17 2019
Joshua
14"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."16Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!17It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.18And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."19Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you."21But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."22Then 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."24And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him."25On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws.26And 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.27"See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God."28Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.29After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Matthew
13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of commitment and faith. The first reading from Joshua recounts the great leader’s final exhortation to the people of Israel. Joshua reminds them of the Lord’s fidelity and the miracles He has wrought in their lives, urging them to choose once and for all to serve the Lord with sincerity and integrity. The people, moved by Joshua’s words, reaffirm their commitment to follow God, and Joshua seals this promise by writing down the covenant and setting up a stone as a witness to their pledge. This passage emphasizes the importance of deliberate choice and the need to root our lives in a deep, personal relationship with God.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary message. Jesus, when approached by parents seeking His blessing for their children, insists that the little ones come to Him, declaring that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are humble and childlike. The disciples, thinking they were protecting Jesus from what seemed like an interruption, are corrected by the Lord. This moment teaches us that true greatness in God’s eyes is found in humility, simplicity, and trust. Just as Joshua called the people to choose the Lord with undivided hearts, Jesus invites us to approach Him with the openness and innocence of a child.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not passive but active. It requires us to make deliberate choices to follow God, even when the world around us pulls us in other directions. Like Joshua, we must examine our lives and remove anything that distracts us from wholehearted devotion to the Lord. And like the children in the Gospel, we must approach God with humility and trust, recognizing that His kingdom is not about power or status but about surrender and love. Let us ask ourselves today: What choices can we make to deepen our commitment to God? How can we cultivate the humility and simplicity that Jesus praises? May we, like Joshua and the people of Israel, choose the Lord and serve Him with sincere and undivided hearts.