When the excitement fades

If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. – Joshua 24.20-22

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. – Judges 2.11-13

The people of Israel were full of good intentions. In all of the excitement about the conquests and victories and when Joshua was promising that he and his house were going to serve the Lord the people made a promise too. Joshua told them that this was not something they could give themselves to half-heartedly. This was a serious commitment.

So they said ‘Yes, we too are going to serve God.’ Joshua called them on it and questioned their commitment and they still said ‘we really will serve the Lord.’ He called them to stand as witnesses against themselves and they said ‘that’s grand, we will serve Him in sincerity and truth.’

It all sounded really good. Here was commitment! These folks were serious!

And yet, as time went on and Joshua died and passed off the scene everything changed. The very things they had promised they soon forgot.

To Joshua they said “we will serve the Lord!’

But nearly as soon as he was gone ‘they forsook the Lord God of their fathers.’

It is easy enough to make commitments and promises and vow vows and swear oaths in the excitement of victory, but what happens when we get back to the plain old every day drudgery of life?

When the excitement wears off it is too easy to forget all those promises and commitments. We can be as serious and committed and sincere and true and dedicated as we want in the excitement of the moment, but when everyday life returns those things can get lost in the shuffle and and the routine.

Of course Satan loves to quench the fire and he loves to encourage us to quench the Holy Spirit when He does those great works.

So let’s enjoy those exciting mountain tops and victories. But by the grace of God may we keep the fire alive when we are back on the plains or in the valleys.