Study Scripture: Joshua 24: 1 – 3, 13 – 15, 21 – 24
Background Scripture: Exodus 20:1–11; Joshua 24
Lesson 2 December 8, 2018
Key Verse
If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
INTRODUCTION
Choices are a daily, unavoidable, inevitable, natural and necessary part of our existence. Our choices carry consequences; whether made as an individual, as a community or even as a nation. Every sphere of our lives, spiritual, social, home, vocation and on, is the result of our choices. The consequences of these choices play out and determine our future path and so it is crucial that choices are based on a careful consideration of all available facts.
The children of Israel had once again arrived at a major crossroad in their fledging national life. They had only partially completed the conquest of the Promised Land. Some pockets of Canaanite occupation still existed here and there and in fact not all tribes were located inside the kingdom.. The land was partitioned according to tribe and they were in fact enjoying a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. Yes, most of the armed struggles were over but now they faced a more insidious threat; the attraction of a profligate and idolatrous, Canaanite lifestyle. Moses, their great ‘law-giver’ had sternly warned of this very threat, (Deut. 6:10-15). Would the people remain loyal to Jehovah or would they succumb to the ease and iniquitous, idolatry of Canaan?
The Israelites were in a formal, historic, covenant relationship with Jehovah and the casual reader might assume the choice of loyalty to Jehovah and the covenant would be a foregone conclusion among the people.
Our own experiences as Christians however say otherwise. All too often as we advance materially there is a proportional decline in our spiritual life and we are far less interested in obedience to the Scriptures and things that pertain to the Lord. Despite our oft expressed commitment to Jesus, we very often find ourselves disloyal and paying homage to a multiplicity of idols some obvious some not so obvious.
The last time the nation faced such a decision they were camped on the east side of the Jordan River about to cross into Canaan. On that occasion Moses addressed the assembly of Israel and significantly his words are similar to Joshua’s speech in chapters 23 and 24.
Joshua reminded the Israelites of all that God had done, things that they had seen with their own eyes (23:3). Like Moses, Joshua urged the Israelites to carefully obey the law of God with no deviation (23:6). They must shun any association with the Canaanites, and scorn their idolatry (23:7-8, 11-13). Joshua reminded the people of God’s faithfulness, He honoured all His promises,
(23:14-15).
They must also remember that every one of God’s promised judgments would come upon them if they failed to obey His commands (23:15b-16).
The book of Joshua is actually the first of the historical books and as we noted before it begins with a story of the victory and then entrance into the Land of Promise where God had all along intended them to be in when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.
Christians are no less prone to wander from our God than were the ancient Israelites. Many of us believers tend to think that the Christian life consists of only being brought out of something and ignoring it also involves entering into something. The warning has always been given that believers are content to be brought out of Egypt, which they interpret as leaving the world and its ways, while forgetting that it means entering and staying into the Land and always holding on to the faith that has taken us into the Land of Promise
The reminders and warnings of Moses and Joshua show that we too need to be reminded of the wonderful things God has done for us; His faithfulness and the threat that idolatry poses a great danger to our relationship with God.
We can interpret today’s study as an examination of the end of Israel’s journeying into the Promised Land for this essentially finishes at the death of Joshua and Israel prepares to go into the state of monarchy.
Joshua’s final formal address therefore is mainly an urging to leaders reaffirm their covenant and renew their commitment to serve God.
This is therefore a new beginning for Israel. Is really feature is the believer must understand the indwelling life of Christ and internalizes the idea for this is the only way that the individual can have victory over Satan.
We have to be reminded of the words of Matthew 5:18 which reads:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”.
The issues that affect our life and faith today all have to do with our spiritual need for a new beginning as we have wander in the wilderness and entered the land to enjoy the blessing God has prepared for us.
In today’s lesson, from the final chapter of the Book of Joshua, Joshua presents to the nation of Israel what amounted to his farewell address. By this time, he was an old man, a seasoned campaigner whose career included a host of experiences, serving first as Moses’ apprentice and then leading the Israelites in the conquest of the Promised Land. It was important that before Joshua’s death, the next generation hear his testimony and learn to appreciate the wisdom that he had to offer God’s people.
Note that Joshua had been born from a man named Nun from the tribe of Ephraim and he had been in danger on Passover night for he had depended on his family’s faith in the Lord to put the blood of the lamb on the door posts so that Joshua the eldest son would be protected from death. He had seen the signs and wonders God had performed in Egypt, and had seen God humiliating the demon gods of Egypt, and God rolling back the waters of the Red Sea to save Israel and then rolling back those same waters to drown the army of Pharaoh.
Joshua is first mentioned when Moses commanded him to choose men to fight the Amalekites who had attacked Israel not long after the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 17:8–13). Exodus 24:13 describes Joshua as Moses’ minister, a word that could be considered the equivalent of an assistant or an apprentice.
He was with Moses when the two came down from Mount Sinai after Moses had received God’s laws written on tablets of stone by “the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). Along with Caleb, Joshua was one of the two spies who voiced confidence that the Lord would lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Numbers 14:6–9). Tragically, their voices were drowned out by the defiant unbelief of the other ten spies.
We get an insight into the tough character of Joshua and we see what is required for a leader facing a crisis in his people. We also see that he had to learn humility. Numbers 11: 28-29 tells us that Joshua complained about two men that had not been among the 70 elders Moses had appointed the leadership but who have been prophesying in the camp. Joshua had been jealous of any attack on Moses’ authority and he had asked Moses to deal strongly with the irregular behavior of these men. Moses had to show his humility and point out that he would claim no special privilege for himself even though he had leadership responsibility. Joshua therefore would be learning what God wanted from him for we learn that after the land was conquered and the tribal lands allotted he claimed his share last.
At the same time we know that Joshua did not appreciate the rebellion of the ten spies who turned the hearts of the people away from God’s instructions. He stood firmly on the side of Moses. He understood clearly of the spiritual and physical riches of God that He wanted to give to Israel.
We should know about the spiritual rest and pleasures we have in Christ and be fully committed to Him.
It seems inevitable that Joshua would be selected as Moses’ successor to lead the nation into the Promised Land and complete the task Moses had begun. Deuteronomy 31:1–8 records Moses’ charge to Joshua to assume the leadership of the people. The final chapter of Deuteronomy tells us that “Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses” (34:9).
The book of Joshua chronicles the conquest of Canaan under Joshua’s leadership and the allotment of territory to the various tribes. By the time of today’s text, Joshua had “waxed old” and was “stricken in age” (Joshua 23:1). It was in this condition and with a sense of duty that he called an assembly of the nation.
Let us be careful to understand and manifest our understanding that the relationship of the people of God to their God would always be a matter of great importance. They would always be significant change and stresses in the environment and much of these will concern us.
Note that given his history Joshua was not like the kind of leaders that close their eyes to reality. Some leaders teach their followers that things would always be good but Joshua understood human nature and knew that the people of God were in a state of continuing spiritual warfare with a deadly and well organized enemy that would seek to destroy them.
He knew that Satan had been able to corrupt Adam and Eve at the peak of human power and ability: he would have much less difficulty seducing their descendents who were weaker in every respect.
Joshua knew that people faced the difficult problem of indecisiveness and so he was concerned about the people’s relationship to God and the covenant.
THE TEXT
Verse 1. … Shechem… The city of Shechem first appears in the Bible in connection with Abraham. It is the modern Tel Balata, situated on the floor of a body near the entrance to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal so that they natural contours of the land created a natural amphitheater where it would be easy to speak so that many people would hear very well what was being said.
When Abraham came into the Promised Land the first place mentioned upon his arrival in the land of Canaan was Shechem, and the first place he built an altar, (Genesis 12:6, 7). When Jacob came back to the Land he first camped at Shechem and he built an altar there calling on God. Genesis 33: 16-20. It was at that city that Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob, practiced their great deception murdering all the men of the city in revenge for the King’s son having sexual relationship with their sister Dinah.
Genesis 34.
When God commanded Jacob to go and worship at Bethel Jacob took away all the household idols in his family and buried them near Shechem. The city therefore meant much to Israel.
Shechem is later the location where the nation becomes divided into two kingdoms (1 Kings 12:1–20). In Joshua’s time, however, Shechem is a place where a unified nation is gathered.
… presented themselves before God … The various leaders of Israel are present; the terms used indicate that the spiritual, judicial, and military leaders are in attendance to present themselves before God. Thus this is not a political or legislative assembly; it is primarily spiritual in nature. Joshua may be the person calling the gathering and giving the address, but the one truly in charge is the Lord.
| The question that now had to be answered was whether or not the leaders and the people were fully prepared to show that they loved the Lord, understood their history, and were prepared to be totally committed. |
Verse 2. While the leaders are given special emphasis in a previous address (Joshua 23:2), here it is noted that Joshua addresses all the people. Moses had spoken to “all Israel” east of the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 1:1); now Joshua does so west of the Jordan, with the conquest of the Promised Land having been largely accomplished.
Joshua prefaced his words with thus saith the Lord God of Israel, to underline the authority and gravity of what followed. The focus was squarely on the Lord’s words and deeds.
… Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. Joshua begins by recounting the history of the nation up to this point. It has now been several hundred years since the old time of Abraham.
… flood … the Greek word (nahar) often indicates a river (Genesis 2:13, 14), and most likely refers here to the Euphrates River. The Euphrates formed a natural boundary between Ur of the Chaldees, Abraham’s original home, and the land of Canaan to which God guided him. Israel’s problematic heritage was to have had ancestors who were idolaters; they served other gods. God obviously called Abraham and he came to embrace faith in the one true God. So the man who became the father of the Israelite nation severed ties with his upbringing by choosing to exercise faith in God and follow His leading (Joshua 24:23).
Verse 3. … And I took … Joshua now alludes to the Lord’s call of Abraham, which is recorded in Genesis 12:1–3. God’s covenant with Abraham took him from his life on the other side of the flood (east of the Euphrates River) and brought him into the land of Canaan. The two most important elements of God’s covenant are highlighted here: the land God promised and Abraham’s seed, which God promised to multiply.
Note carefully that there are times when the truth in all its often unpleasant fullness must be told.
The people have to be reminded that their history was one in which they were often unfaithful, though God was always faithful. God’s goodness was therefore highlighted at the very start of Joshua’s discourse.
Verses 4 – 12. Here Joshua continued his review of the history of God’s people. Note the repeated occurrences of the pronoun ‘I’ which underlines God’s sovereignty and gracious acts to the nation, which began with the call of Abraham.
The Exodus was a second great proof of God’s grace to Israel (vv. 5-7). The provision of Moses and Aaron, as well as the sending of the plagues, can be seen as special gifts. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and her preservation in the wilderness were also highlights of God’s faithfulness during this period of the nation’s history.
God’s third great act for Israel was the Israelites’ victory over the Amorites east of the Jordan (vs. 8-10). God also frustrated Moab’s hostility by turning Balaam’s oracles into blessings.
The fourth divine provision was the crossing of the Jordan River and the consequent victory over the Canaanites (vs. 11-13). God routed Israel’s enemies for her by using various hornet-like terrors (v. 12; Exod. 23:28; Deut. 7:20).
… hornet… this is possibly a metaphor of divine activity causing fear because, although it is mentioned several times (Exod. 23:28; Deut. 7:20), it is never listed as actually happening. The metaphor is also used in Deut. 1:44.
Verse 13. And I have given you a land … God’s gracious acts in the preceding verses allowed the nation to enter the land of Canaan, where God provided victory in battles over the Canaanites and their expulsion so that His people could occupy the land.
A frequently repeated theme whenever the land is discussed is the fact that it was God who gave it to the people (Exodus 6:4, 8; 12:25; 13:5; 20:12; 32:13; Leviticus 23:10; 25:2; Numbers 13:2; 15:2; Deuteronomy 1:8, 25; 8:10; 11:31).
A related point is the fact that the people had done nothing to produce the wealth or abundance found in the land, (flowing with milk and honey). Others had done the hard work to build the cities and plant the crops; the Israelites were granted the privilege of enjoying these blessings. Moses spoke similar words to the Israelites in his message recorded in Deuteronomy 6:10 – 11.
The Promised Land was an undeserved gift from Yahweh for the purpose of establishing a people who would reflect His character and love to the nations. |
Verse 14. Now therefore fear the Lord… In light of their just recalled history the natural response of the people should be reverential fear, awe and a desire to prove their loyalty to their God.
The Israelites should not think that the blessings of the Promised Land were unconditionally guaranteed, with no obligation on their part. God gave them the land, but their continued residency in the land depended on their faithful adherence to the terms set down by the Giver. They were in a covenant.
Moses had also urged the people to “fear the Lord thy God, and serve him” (Deuteronomy 6:13) and had warned the people not to forget the Lord’s goodness and not to pursue other gods (6:10–15). Now Joshua echoed this same appeal. The Lord is to be their only God, not only in what they profess but in how they behaved.
The peoples’ obligations are emphasized by the imperatives ; ’fear’, ‘serve’ and ‘put away’.
… fear … serve … required that the people put away whatever gods they may yet have had among them. No matter whether these gods were from their ancestors in the more distant past (on the other side of the flood, vs. 2); or from their more recent experience in Egypt, there can only be allegiance to the one true God.
It may be difficult to grasp how some Israelites could still be holding on to false gods after all that the Lord had done for them. The previous generation of Israelites however were guilty of blatant idolatry, building a golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. This happened not long after being delivered from their bondage in Egypt and protected at the Red Sea (Exodus 32:1–6). As someone has observed, it was one thing to get Israel out of Egypt but quite another to get Egypt out of Israel. Note however that he is of God is going to people who in everything their faith from previous generations and what had happened to them.
But note that faithfulness is required from the community, but it is also required from a decision that every new individual must make and must act out in their individual life. Faith and action is required by both community, the group together, and by individuals deciding and acting on their own in that community.
Verse 15. … evil … The Hebrew word (ra`a`) rendered evil (can be used of something that is not necessarily evil in a moral sense (as in good versus evil). Sometimes it carries a sense of “unpleasant” or “disagreeable.” That is probably the case here. Joshua’s challenge is thus along these lines: if you Israelites find it unpleasant to serve the Lord, then consider whom you will end up serving instead.
… serve… Joshua’s proposal reflects a principle that remains true: we must serve someone or something. The Israelites before Joshua must choose whether they will serve the false gods of their ancestors or the gods of the peoples in the land of Canaan where they now resided. The Amorites are one of several peoples who have lived in Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1; Joshua 24:11). But in some places the word is used to designate the peoples of the land in general (Genesis 15:16; Amos 2:9, 10).
The history Joshua recounted should have been reason enough for choosing to serve the Lord. One must keep in mind that this history was not something that Joshua was relating as a body of facts that had no personal meaning to him. This record included much that Joshua himself had experienced. He witnessed the events surrounding the exodus from Egypt and the rescue at the Red Sea. He saw firsthand the tragic results of idolatry when he descended from Mount Sinai with Moses (Exodus 32:17–20). Joshua himself knew for certain that the Lord was the one true God.
Still, Joshua could not choose for those who are assembled before him. Each person must choose for himself or herself whom to serve. But Joshua, as the nation’s leader, as the one who had directed their conquest of the Promised Land, will make absolutely clear where he stood: as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Same as today; there is no group salvation or proxy salvation; everyone must make an individual choice about Jesus Christ.
We should note that Joshua’s challenge offered the people essentially only two choices: either the Lord or other gods. Moses spoke in similar terms to the Israelites, setting before them a choice between “life and death, blessing and cursing” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Jesus also described two ways, a broad way and a narrow way, and of building wisely or foolishly (Matthew 7:13, 14, 24–27).
Verses. 16–20. On the basis of God’s great acts on their behalf (v. 14), Joshua appealed to the Israelites to commit themselves to Jehovah anew (Rom. 12:1-2). Though Israel was not as guilty of idolatry at this stage in her history as she was later, this sin existed in the nation to some degree (Lev. 17:7).
Joshua’s offer to choose the God or gods they would serve (v. 15) was not, of course, an encouragement to consider the idols as an equally acceptable option. It was simply an oratorical device (i.e., polarization) to help the Israelites distinguish their choices and to make the right alternative more obvious. As a true leader, Joshua announced his commitment, and in so doing encouraged the people to follow his example.
Not surprising the people respond with a passionate desire to follow Joshua’s lead and to serve the Lord above any other gods. Joshua then warned them of the gravity of their promise; it was not to be taken lightly. Their commitment to the Lord must involve more than just voicing good intentions or pious-sounding words; it must be supported by actions.
Joshua seemed to emphasize the difficulty in serving a holy God. The sacrificial system of Leviticus was a means for sinful people to approach a holy God and maintain fellowship (i.e., covenant). It is impossible in our own strength.
…He will not forgive your transgressions and sins… Covenant obedience is crucial. God is faithful, but the covenant is conditional. Sin has consequences! Yahweh will not overlook rebellion (Exod. 23:21). Fact is, fallen humanity is unable to establish and maintain fellowship with a holy God. God provides the solution in Jesus Christ.
… if… (vs.20) shows the conditional nature of Yahweh’s covenant and promises to Israel
(Deut. 28:1-2,15). All of Yahweh’s blessings of Deuteronomy 27-28, as well as His land promises, were conditioned on a faithful, obedient, believing Israel.
Verse 21. Again the people declare their loyalty to the Lord. The scene is reminiscent of what transpired at Mount Sinai when the Lord first established His covenant with the Israelites there and the people assented, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7).
Christians have gone down this road and are well experienced in straying from the path!
Verse 22. … Ye are witnesses … the solemnity of the proceeding, where the people …presented themselves before God (Joshua 24:1) and pledged their loyalty to Him alone, demanded a need for witnesses. In this case Joshua called on the people themselves to serve as witnesses against themselves. They had chosen to follow Joshua’s example and serve the Lord; but if they turned away from Him and worshipped other gods, they would bring on themselves the punishment that Joshua had said must follow (24:20). The people agreed to Joshua’s terms: We are witnesses.
Verse 23. Joshua again urged the people before him to make a break with the gods that remained in their bosoms. In so doing, he repeated the command he issued earlier (Joshua 24:14).
But as important as that action was, genuine commitment to the Lord must include the hearts of the people. They must put away other gods internally as well as externally. The word incline is often used in Scripture of one’s ear being tuned to hear sound instruction (Proverbs 4:20) or refusing to hear it
(Jeremiah 25:4).
One writer asks: “Have you been doing any picking and choosing recently? Do you trust God with your spiritual needs but break His commands in your efforts to meet your physical or emotional needs? Will you choose to follow Him with all your heart and trust Him to provide everything you need?”
Verse 24. The Lord our God will we serve… this is the third time the people expressed a desire to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:18, 21).
Anyone familiar with the history of Israel that follows in the book of Judges may well think, “If only the people had followed through on their words and promises.” As promising as the conclusion to the book of Joshua is, the conclusion to the book of Judges is disheartening. Its final verse is one of the saddest in the Bible: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
Christians well know that it is easy in the midst of a throng of like-minded believers (such as the gathering before Joshua) to voice allegiance to the Lord. It is quite another to translate that pledge into everyday actions and choices that are consistent with that allegiance.
A choice must be made.
It is quite likely that we like Israel were convinced that we should serve Yahweh but just to be safe we could take out an insurance policy and serve other gods at the same time so that if Yahweh does not answer our prayers in our timeline maybe we might just ask the other gods for help and see if that work. .
We therefore should not fool ourselves. Many around us are making the choice to serve because of security or status or power or money. There are plenty of other gods and they tempt us all the times so Joshua urges us to choose. The same challenge is placed before us. One writer helps us out in this matter:
“And we also know there are other gods. They take quite different shapes today all but we wrestle with our faithfulness in serving God with single-minded loyalty. There are the gods of our culture that tempt us, just as the gods of the culture tempted the Israelites over and over again so many years ago.
But what are the false gods that tempt us? What keeps us from choosing to serve God, alone?
I imagine many of us are tempted by the false god of security. We have bought into the gods of our culture that tells us if we amass enough financially wealth then we are safe from harm and we can obtain security.
Some of us are tempted by the god of status or power.
Many of us are tempted by the gods of consumerism, the prevailing greed of American society– the one who has the most toys at the end of their life wins. As hollow as this sounds when stated this bluntly, materialism and of consumerism are the gods of American society. Especially as they are promoted so fervently in our culture by corporations working to convince us that we need more, more, more of whatever product they are pushing to make us feel complete or whole. These gods convince us we need newer phones, nicer cars bigger houses more toys– no matter the cost we must get more, and more things.
Walter Brueggemann is a gifted writer and Old Testament professor and I think his reflections on today’s text are worth repeating:
“If you are like me, while you read the Bible you keep looking over at the screen to see how the market is doing. If you are like me, you read the Bible on a good day, but you watch Nike ads every day. And the Nike story says that our value is in our achievements, and that we must create ourselves.
Brueggermann continues: My wife and I have some young friends who have a four year old son. Recently the mother told us that she was about to make a crucial decision. She had to get her son into the right kindergarten because if she didn’t, then he wouldn’t get into the right prep school. And this would mean not being able to get into Davidson College. And if he didn’t go to school there he wouldn’t be connected to the bankers in Charlotte and be able to get the kind of job where he would make a lot of money
Our friends’ story, Brueggemann says, is a kind of parable of our notion that we must position ourselves because we must achieve, and build our own lives. According to the Nike story, whoever has the most shoes when he dies wins”.
We are story and see that kind of attitude all the time. That is something very common in our society.
We really must admit to ourselves that it was hard for the people of Israel, and unfortunately for us it’s just as hard as it was for them to put away the gods of our culture that are among us.
So Joshua was right to press the people of Israel and maybe even get them upset as was shown in their response. Just like Peter became upset when Jesus confronted him after His resurrection and ask him several times if he loved Him, so too did the Israelites become upset.
We will also be upset when we sit before leaders who choose to tell us bluntly that we must choose between the gods of the world and Yahweh. Frankly most leaders in churches today are afraid to ask this question that Joshua asked and Jesus asked .
But note that if we insist that we will choose God we are acting as witnesses against ourselves, just like the people of Israel were told they were doing.
CONCLUSION
It is noteworthy that the names Joshua and Jesus come from the same Hebrew verb, meaning “to save.” As Joshua brought the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan, Jesus, the “captain of [our] salvation” (Hebrews 2:10), leads us toward our promised land of Heaven.
And as one ponders Joshua’s words in our text and the degree of commitment to the Lord that he called the Israelites to demonstrate, it is not difficult to recognize similarities to Jesus’ teaching about what is required to be His disciple (Luke 14:25–33). One must “count the cost,” as Jesus put it, and that is what Joshua encouraged the Israelites to do.
For us as Christians to say that “We will serve the Lord” means we will honor Jesus as Lord and demonstrate that commitment by serving Him faithfully every day. Like Joshua’s audience, we too must reject the “gods” that threaten to undermine that commitment.
These gods may not be statues or images of pagan deities; they can be material objects (money and possessions) or a degree of devotion to a career, to sports, to education, or something else that has claimed, for all intents and purposes, the status of a “god” in our lives.
In whom or what are you placing y him and our trust? Where is your heart inclined? The words of Joshua still issue a resounding call to New Testament believers: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”
Let us warn that we should not witness against ourselves in the community, in the neighborhood, in the home, and worst of all in the church. If we chose God we have to bear witness about God to Others. We have to be a model of devotion to God and faith in God to the vulnerable in our communities. We have to provide a home for the homeless, food for the hungry, visitation to those in prison, as we continue to witne a ss to Jesus Christ here on earth.
We really do not want to have Jesus say to us on the Day we meet Him, “I never knew you “.
So we beg you to think carefully about what it means to choose God. Make your pledge to Him. He stands ready to help you in your times of weakness. He stands ready to forgive you when you missed the mark.
Never forget that He is your shepherd, your kinsman Redeemer. He knows everything about human beings, their faults, their desires, and the fact that the flesh is always fighting against the spirit.
He loves you even when you were His enemy. He loved you first. So chose Him and love Him. It is well worth it. There is an abundance of love and pleasure in Fellowship with Him.