“I’m heading out, Mom!”
“Okay; I love you. Bye. Be careful!”
This conversation is frequently repeated in our household of young adults.
I never fail to add the admonition to “be careful” because worrying over the safety of my children has been foremost in my mind from the time they were in my womb.
It’s totally natural for us to be protective of our children. The world is full of dangers, and we need to teach our children how to steer clear of them.
Knowing all this, when I was recently reading Joshua’s charge to the Israelite leaders in Joshua 23, verse 11 really stood out to me. It says, “Be careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.”
In the previous verses, Joshua was encouraging them to keep conquering the land God had promised them, to follow His laws, and to cling closely to Him. But, he obviously knew this was going to be a dangerous business. Following the Lord and loving Him wasn’t going to come easily. The rest of the work of taking over the land was going to be fraught with dangers. The Israelites were going to have to fight hard for it. Furthermore, they were going to have to be careful to love the Lord who had promised them this land. It would be so much easier to love other, lesser gods.
I can relate to that. I am much more careful in my daily life to practice self-preservation or to try to manage the moods and circumstances of people around me. (Translate: paying heed to lesser gods.) But that is the true danger; in doing that, I am caring more for myself and my own wants and needs and less for simply loving and trusting Him.
Instead of the safety and security I’m longing for, which I am convinced I will attain by trying to manage myself and others, I end up with depression, anxiety, fear, and discouragement.
No wonder Joshua told the leaders to be careful to love the Lord.
If I pay heed to loving Christ with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, then I will have peace, safety, and joy, regardless of my circumstances (Mark 12:30).
So…the next time I say goodbye to one of my daughters, instead of pulling up Life 360 as soon as the door shuts and then beginning to watch the little red car string along the line of roads on the screen, maybe I need to say, “Be careful…to love the Lord,” …and close the app.
Taking it Further:
What things are you most careful with in your life? What is one practical way you can increase in being careful to love the Lord more today?