Perspectives, Priorities And Personal Choices

A simple truth: What we place as a priority is generally what we will worship.

A corollary to that truth: What we worship becomes our god.

In the Old Testament, people looked to idols for provision, meaning, significance, and identity. Worshipers bent their knees in submission and devotion to the idols they believed could save them, and they believed the more gods you worshiped, the more blessings you would receive. That’s why there was a god for everything from fire to fertility and weather to wisdom.

When the unfaithful Israelites turned to idolatry, God asked, “But where are your gods which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah” (Jeremiah 2:28, NASB). But God made it clear that only He could save them. “You were not to know any god except Me, for there is no savior besides Me” (Hosea 13:4, NASB). His people were to worship Him alone.

Exodus 20:2-5

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol . . . You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.

God hates idolatry!

What happened when Israel refused to worship God alone and turned to the worship of other gods, idols?

Destruction, plagues, famine, war, captivity. It wasn’t pretty! God took his peoples’ infidelity seriously and his response was severe.

We know the words of the old hymn – “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it: prone to leave the one I love.”

Our hearts are prone to wander.

We must continually ask ourselves, “Who or what is ruling my thoughts and behavior: the Lord or an idol?” and “What are my priorities?”

Whenever we place other things before God we are indulging in idolatry and idolatry drives us to seek life from false gods, but we come away dry and empty because they are never capable of providing it.

If we devote ourselves to knowing God more intimately and place him as first in our lives then we will be less likely to buy into the lies of false gods when they promise what only He can deliver.

Stacy Padrick, (Discipleship Journal): Only worshiping [God] will satisfy our soul’s deepest hunger for the food we’ve been craving in idols. Only in worshiping God, and God alone, can our hearts finally rest. --

1. To what did you devote most of your time in the past week?

2. Where did you expend the most energy?

3. On what did you spend the most money?

4. When you let your mind wander, where does your attention usually travel?

5. What needs might you be trying to meet that could be better met in your relationship with God

PERSONAL CHOICES

The lifestyle most modeled in the culture we live in is the lifestyle of “Mine” and “More.”

You know – I’ve got mine but I want more.

Donald J. Shelby (Santa Monica, California) tells of participating in the annual Shopping Spree sponsored by the Salvation Army. With funds provided by donors who make the event possible, underprivileged children were allowed to shop, within a certain dollar limit, at a local Sears store. Community leaders were matched with individual children, and instructed to guide and assist the child in filling a shopping list which he or she brought from home. It was a delightful experience! One little boy. had his arms loaded with what he had selected, but he had come upon a large-sized item which he wanted very much. What was he to do? Take that item, but his arms were full? Should he give up what he had chosen and go for this other item? Tears of frustration welled up in his eyes as he had to choose.