Joshua 24:14 -15 (HCSB)
14“Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh. 15But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.”
I was listening to my bible this morning while getting the house ready for the day and when verse 14 spoke, it struck my heart.
“Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped.”
I know that in the time of this passage, Joshua was relaying commands from God to His people, but it isn’t a dead verse because it is from so long ago. We still have gods in our lives that we worship and I think many believers don’t even see that they are doing it.
work
hobbies
pets
kids
spouse
social media
our appearance
worry/fear
laziness
our addictions/habits
a loved one’s salvation
our theological ideas
(did some of these prick your heart like they did mine?)
My list might look something like this……coffee, business work, kids, school, husband, grandma, writing, reading, little ones I baby-sit.
not ver impressive list, i is it? But these are the things that consume my mind before I even take the time to spend in the word and in prayer. Now that I am reflecting, i feel hypocritical as I have been talking with my own children about their games being more important than learning about God. (Forgive me, Lord)
We all have things in our lives that consume our thoughts and time. We think on them first thing in the morning and they are the last things we think about at night. They plague our attention keeping us from whatever bit of peace or wisdom God desires to impart on us.
We are missing out!
In the time we spend worrying about the day, we could be praying over the day; over our situations and taking authority over all the devil will throw at us to distract us from the beauty of God’s plans for us. His desire to spend time with us and know that He is a priority in our lives. He wants to show us His heart for us. To reveal “the plans He has for you”.
I know it is scary to put trust and faith into someone or something we can not see or touch but it is when we put our faith in out Creator that great things happen.
So, what is your “god”? Is your mind consumed with the struggles of the day that you can not seem to find time to spend with Abba Father? Is it time to “clean house”?
I know I am re-evaluating some things right now because I don’t want to miss the amazing things of God.
Let’s pray!
Father God, You and You alone are the author and creator of all the universe. You designed each and every one of us for a purpose. We can not see that purpose now, but in time You reveal all. Forgive our unfaithful hearts, Forgive the wanderings of our minds and Forgive our unwillingness to fully trust in you. We really do long for Your will in our lives and in the lives of those we love. Show us how to live out each day walking in Your ways so that we can be better ministers of Your word. Amen!