“You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3
At the time God gave this commandment to the Israelites, they were surrounded by nations that served false gods; gods made of stone and wood that had no power to save or protect. God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt, and He alone was worthy of their worship.
It would have been easy for God's people at that time to recognize an idol by the religious practices of their pagan neighbors. Yet there were many who chose to disobey by worshiping Baal and Asherah (Judges 3:7). For some it may have been the allure of illicit sex that was part of the religion (Numbers 25), or the international peer pressure of being like their neighbors (Samuel 8). Whatever the pull, it was used by Satan to tempt them to rebel against God.
Idolatry is a matter of the heart, and it comes in many forms. We may not bow before idols of stone and wood, but are we prideful? Self-centered? Greedy? Are we placing a person or thing ahead of God? Loving anything more than God is idolatry. We have to be clear on this, and align our lives with God's commandment to put Him first.
This is not a burdensome commandment. It is a joy and delight to obey God and give Him first place in our lives. To worship God, and God alone.
Today's music video You're Worthy Of My Praise by Maranatha Praise Band will be familiar to many of you. May it inspire you to worship our amazing God!
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
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