Joshua 24:15 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, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
There is a heritage and history lesson in the verses prior to this one. Joshua tells of the many times God has seen them through trials.
24:2 ...Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time...and they served other gods.
24:3...And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan...
24:6...And I brought your fathers out of Egypt...
24:8...And I brought you into the land of the Amorites...I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.
24:10...But I would not hearken unto Balaam...so I delivered you out of his hand.
24:11... and came unto Jericho...and I delivered them into your hand.
24:13...And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
Over and over, God delivered them!
24:14-15 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 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, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
The next generation....are we telling them of how God provided for us? Are we passing on the baton of faith to them? If we don't share the history of God in our lives...who will?
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Ronald Reagan
Verse 15 is challenging the next generation to take up the battle and fight with God!