Choosing Sides
This past week we read the Book of Joshua. Much of the subject matter covered the settlement of the land promised to Abraham and his posterity. Some of the occupation of the land came by war and bloodshed while other areas were made uninhabitable to the former inhabitants by plagues. In all cases, when the people chose to follow the God of their fathers they took the victory.
One thing that occurred to me was that there was one side that prevailed against all others. That is the the Lord’s side.
Today there are an almost infinite number of sides we could choose, all of which exhibit various shades of wrong.
As I thought about all the possibilities, my mind became so cluttered that it became difficult to organize my thoughts. I don’t like that feeling. I will give a few examples to show what I mean. We could pick political sides, sides based on sex or gender, age, race, religion, state or nation, sports teams, etc. Some of these may seem trivial until someone makes them a matter significant enough to ruin other’s lives.
Our language has even been weaponized by one side or another. Restrictions on speech or compelled speech is forcing us to pick sides. In some cases fundamental truths cannot be uttered without devastating retribution.
We are judged to be worthy, or not, by arbitrary and fluid standards based on the whim of those with influence and power. Some governments have instituted social credit systems to determine if businesses and individuals can be deemed as trustworthy. As a result people are being forced to choose a side; their side.
The goals of the plethora causes may be just, but when force, threat, or coercion are used to achieve them, there is a problem. If people can’t be convinced by arguments that are compelling enough to elicit voluntary compliance, there will be more damage than good done to society and individuals.
So, there are all the sides I have mentioned, then there is the God’s side. The question then becomes, which God. Gods made of wood or stone, or that only exist in the meta verse. NO!
The true God is:
The creator of Heaven and Earth
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
The God that spoke to Moses and described himself as I Am
The God Jesus spoke of as his and our Father and God
The Unknown God that Paul declared to the Athenians
The God that appeared with his Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith
The God to whom we pray
The God who speaks to our hearts and minds
The God who sustains us from one breath to the next
The God who knows and loves us
The God to whom we have access through his Son Jesus the Christ
The God who will welcome us home one day.
The is only one side to be on that means anything when all is said and done. The beauty of the all-powerful God is that he lets us choose. And 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 (modern world), in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.