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Near the end of his life, Joshua gathered the tribes, elders, judges and officers of Israel at Shechem. The conquest of the land had largely been completed, but an important question remained: who would Israel serve in the generations to come? Lingering idolatry was still present among the people, and Joshua knew that a faithful future could not be built upon divided loyalties. His words were therefore direct: “Put away the gods which your fathers served … Serve the LORD!” He then gave his own settled declaration: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Click HERE for the 10-point “modern idols” handout.
Those familiar words are far more than a comforting verse for a wall hanging. They are a call to repentance, decision and faithful action. A godly home first requires the rejection of idols. Long before Joshua’s address, Jacob told his household to put away their foreign gods before returning to Bethel and building an altar to the Lord. The order matters. We cannot faithfully serve God while continuing to make room for rival loyalties. The idols of our day may not be carved statues, but they can be just as powerful: comfort, the phone, secret sin, money, work, control, anger, pleasure, reputation and even passivity. Good things become idols whenever they are given the trust, devotion or obedience that belongs to God alone.
This message is especially searching for men. We cannot repent on behalf of our families, nor can we simply pass our faith to our children as though it were an inheritance. We can, however, take responsibility for what we permit, encourage and model within the home. A man may be physically present yet absent through distraction. He may speak of leadership while being ruled by anger, fear or the need for control. He may say he is working for his family while quietly finding his identity and worth in his work rather than in Christ. Joshua’s words bring these matters into the light and ask each of us to consider honestly what has been allowed to remain.
A spiritual home also cannot be built upon spiritual hesitation. Elijah asked Israel, “How long will you falter between two opinions?” Jesus likewise taught that no one can serve two masters, and He calls every disciple to deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Him. Indecision is not neutral. Yet this is not a demand for sinless perfection. It is a call to settled allegiance: to say, by the grace of God, “I have chosen the Lord, and today I will follow Him again.” Faithfulness is lived one day at a time through repentance, obedience and dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
Finally, a godly home requires faithful leadership. Before a man asks how he should lead his home, workplace, church or community, he must first ask whether he himself is being led by the Lord. Leadership is not merely what we say; it is what others see. It means putting God’s Word first, opening the Bible consistently, teaching His truth diligently, guarding against shallow religious performance and walking honestly with brothers who can encourage, correct and pray for us. These disciplines are simple, but they are not always easy. We will either endure the pain of discipline now or the deeper pain of regret later.
There is hope for every man who recognises failure in these areas. Our confidence is not in our own strength or past performance. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, and God has given His Spirit to continue His transforming work within us. The godly home does not begin with a perfect man. It begins with a man who is willing to be led, corrected and strengthened by the Lord. Joshua’s challenge remains before us: identify the idols, put them away, choose whom you will serve, and then walk faithfully in that decision. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
