You got a problem with God?

…And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve… Joshua 24:15a

Joshua strikes right at the heart of the sinful heart here by asking them whether they think it is an evil thing to serve the Lord. The fallen sinner actually has a problem with God. No, he won’t usually admit it, rather he may vehemently deny it, making all sorts of claims to love God, but it doesn’t ring true when he spends most of his life trying to avoid God and blot Him out of his mind.

The world still hates God. Sure, new religions are invented almost daily, but they are idols in the minds of men: substitutes for God. The abundance of man-made gods proves that man has a problem with facing the Living God and would rather form his own god in his imagination. This imaginary god of his own making will not argue with him, just like an imaginary friend. This new god will be very compliant with his wishes, that’s what it’s made for, that’s the purpose of idols.

Just as Joshua said, they find it evil to serve the Lord: Serve anything else, that’s not evil, but it’s the God of the Bible, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and His Son Jesus Christ who is singled out as evil.

You got a problem with God? What evil do you find in Him that you refuse to serve Him? What is it about the God of the Bible you find objectionable?

Or is it a case of your heart being exceedingly wicked, that your heart of stone blocks you from loving God? Do these questions, rather, actually pinpoint something objectionable inside of you? Are you unhappy that your own heart finds God objectionable? Then bring your stony, sinful heart to Jesus and see how He can transform it.

(Serving God is not the same as serving the religious system or serving your own pride and ego)