An Outdated Commandment

Exodus 22:3
                  "You shall have no other gods before me." (NIV)

What a shock! Last year, my first boyfriend/almost fiance dumped me and I was really confused. I thought I had put the matter to rest but recently it kept coming up in my mind and I realized I had many questions, hence the nagging lack of closure. It was imperative that the matter be put to rest in order to move on. The New Year was only a couple of weeks away.

Quite recently, I had started developing the art of thinking and thinking deeply. In order to get answers and great results with this (and not run yourself into depression), you have to be open to hearing from the Holy Spirit, think along scriptures and realize that your point of view is almost always highly erroneous.

As I thought through the matter, asking God questions, I realized I held God responsible for a confusing and emotionally intense event in my life. And my words to Him were, "Lord, why did you let this happen? This was the one area in my life that was very dear to me and you should have let go my way."

You see, I had an ideal when it came to dating and marriage and I expected things to go a certain way. That was one area in my life which was off limits to God. He dared not have a plan that did not fit my plan. He needed to bend to my will.

And then it hit me. I had made my relationship my life and had put God on the back burner. And that was definitely a form of idolatry. We are continually advised in the New Testament to beware of idols because it is so easy to replace an invisible all loving God with things and people who meet our immediate needs of comfort, indulgence, pleasure and escape.

[Side note: Escapism is a big cancer which permeates our culture today.]



MODERN DAY IDOLS?
Anything you put before God becomes an idol (you shall have no other gods before me). When the will of God comes secondary to something in your life; when you have a strong passionate commitment to something other than God (you will love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, strength). What you dedicate most of your time, energy and money to. Something that consumes your thoughts and dictates your actions. The characteristics go on and on... 1 Corinthians 10:14.

I did a personal assessment and realized I had some additional idols: self-will, television and sleep. What are yours?

Now, I am on the track of diligently observing myself to ensure that I place nothing before the best thing that has ever happened in my life Deuteronomy 4:15-31.

I have closure now and I am open to any plan God has for my life concerning marriage and the opposite sex.