How are you? How is your week going? Have you been worshipping other gods?
We looked at the First Commandment this past Sunday: You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
It’s a very simple commandment, but we are reminded of various truths.
First, our God is a jealous God. He wants all of us to Himself. He doesn’t want us to give ourselves to any other “gods.” We can do this, because we know He has given all of Himself to us in Jesus Christ.
Second, we are constantly before Him. God is omni-present, meaning He is everywhere. There is no place we can worship other gods that is hidden from Him. This may be scary, but more importantly, it’s reassuring. God is always before us, and we are always before Him. We are in His presence, and He dwells with us.
Third, there are no other gods. Our covenantal God is the only One to exist. If this is true, then why does he tell us not to have them? It’s because we attribute to them the glory of God. We make nothing into everything. We treated created things as if they are the Creator.
God has created us to worship, and if we are not worshipping God, we are worshiping something else. What are we worshipping? What do we love? What do we trust in?
There are no other gods beside our Triune God. He is the only God, and He is the only One to save. Every “god” out there asks us what we can do for them. Our God tells us to look at what He has already done for us in Christ.
We’re at the First Commandment, and we have already failed. But we know someone who had no other gods beside the Father. He had no other gods before Him. He was faithful to the point of death on the cross.
He did what we could not do. And He died for our faithlessness. He’s the hope beyond this commandment. And He is the power for us to obey.
We can worship Him alone, since we know that He alone has saved us.
New Life, may we worship Him alone. May we not have any other gods before Him. And may we cling to Him as our only hope and love Him as He has first loved us.
See you on Sunday for Lord’s Day Worship. We will be partaking of the Lord’s Supper, so please prepare your hearts this week.
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Pastor Tim
Photo Credit: http://www.concordialutheranconf.com/2018/06/07/first-sunday-after-trinity-thursday/