1 Kings 18:21 (NRSVue) - Elijah then came near to all the
people and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If
the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not
answer him a word.
Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal.
Of course, he knew that God would triumph over those who followed false gods.
But before the contest took place, Elijah spoke those words to the people.
He knew the people had drifted from God.
These words were a caution that you cannot serve God and false gods.
In Matthew 6, Christ taught the disciples how to pray.
He also gave them cautionary instructions.
One of these concerned serving two masters, namely God and wealth.
Matthew 6:24 (NRSVue) - “No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
God is, and always has been, supreme.
He expects to be first in our lives.
Moreover, He commanded this.
Exodus 20:2-4 (NRSVue) - “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, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.”
The simple fact is that anytime we place anyone or anything above God, we practice idolatry.
We rob God of His rightful place in our lives.
When that happens, God asks us to choose.
Choice is a part of life.
But correctly choosing Who has priority is crucial.
It requires commitment.
It requires loyalty.
People and things constantly vie for our attention and affection.
But we must choose to put God first.
Fortunately, God helps us choose wisely when we make ourselves open and available to Him.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, February
2, 2024.
I will be back here on Friday, February 9, 2024
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