JUMAMOSI TAREHE 12 JUNI 2021, ASUBUHI
Yoshua 24:19-24
19 Yoshua akawaambia watu, Hamwezi kumtumikia Bwana; kwa kuwa yeye ni Mungu mtakatifu; yeye ni Mungu mwenye wivu; hatawasamehe makosa yenu, wala dhambi zenu.
20 Kama mkimwacha Bwana na kuitumikia miungu migeni, ndipo atageuka na kuwatenda mabaya na kuwaangamiza, baada ya kuwatendea mema.
21 Lakini hao watu wakamwambia Yoshua, La! Lakini tutamtumikia Bwana.
22 Yoshua akawaambia watu, Ninyi mmekuwa mashahidi juu ya nafsi zenu, ya kuwa mmemchagua Bwana, ili kumtumikia yeye. Wakasema, Sisi tu mashahidi.
23 Akasema, Basi sasa, iondoeni miungu migeni iliyo kati yenu, mkaielekeze mioyo yenu kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli.
24 Ndipo hao watu wakamwambia Yoshua, Bwana, Mungu wetu, ndiye tutakayemtumikia; na sauti yake ndiyo tutakayoitii.
Mungu au ulimwengu;
Katika somo la leo, nabii Yoshua anawaambia wana wa Israeli kuwa kuwa wasitegemee huruma na mema kutoka kwa Mungu ikiwa watatumikia miungu wengine. Tena aliwaagiaza wakaiondoe miungu hiyo kati yao na kuiteketeza kwa moto, ndipo wakamtumikie Mungu wa Israeli.
Mungu wetu habadiliki, ni yeye yule jana, leo, na hata milele. Hivyo neno hili linatuhusu sisi pia. Je, unamtumikia Mungu kweli bila kuchanganya na ‘miungu’ wengine? Unapopatwa na changamoto ya aina yeyote, au kufanikiwa kwa lolote, unakumbuka kumtanguliza Mungu? Jenga tabia ya kusoma neno la Mungu kila siku, kukusaidia kukumbuka kumchagua yeye na sio ulimwengu.
SATURDAY 12TH JUNE 2021
Joshua 24:19-24 [NIV]
19 Joshua 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. 20 If 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.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
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.”
God or the world;
In today's reading, the prophet Joshua tells the children of Israel not to expect mercy and goodness from God if they serve other gods. And he commanded them, to remove the false gods among them, and burn them with fire. Only then, can they served the true God of Israel.
Our God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So Joshua’s message applies to us as well today. Are you truly serving God without mixing with Him other ‘gods’? When you face a challenge of any kind, or success, do you remember to put God first? Make a habit of reading the word of God daily, to help you remember to choose Him and not the world.
