No Other Gods

We're doing a study called "No Other Gods" in our small group which started a few weeks ago. We just got our books tonight and discussed what it means to have functional gods in our day and age. These are the things we put above God...kind of like modern day idols which could be all sorts of things, depending on our attitudes and actions toward them. An idol can be a physical object, a property, a person, an activity, a role, an institution, a hope, an image, an idea, a pleasure, a hero, anything that can substitute for God. We even talked about the things that are inherently good and right, but have become detrimental simply because we desire them too much. The author, Kelly Minter quotes John Calvin, "The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but that we want it too much."

I never really thought about this. But there's a reason God put "You shall have no other gods before me" as the first commandment so it has to be important. It reminds me of the Israelites and the many times throughout the bible they turn away from God and worship other idols and other gods. I get so frustrated sometimes and think, "Why don't they learn?" Well hello, I do it all the time. While I didn't make a golden calf or little statues, I did and still do use things as a substitute for God. The biggest one is a person in my life. I have definitely used him in place of God and over the past couple of years I've slowly learned the hard way that God wants me to go to Him with my struggles and desires. My heart breaks the more distant I become in this relationship but then I catch myself going to the Lord first when something happens. I realize more and more that it's what God wants from me..to be first in my life.

I was really praying for God to show me what to choose to study for this group and through someone at church, He led me to this. Even when I did decide on this book, I thought it would be a good study for THEM because I am going through something entirely different. Wow! Isn't this so God? He knows what I need way before I do or at least before I'll admit it.

Just like each and every study I've been through...there's something God wants to teach us. There's always a lightbulb that goes on about something. This just might be the brightest one since I least expected it. I really enjoy these ladies and am looking forward to what God has in store for me in small group over the next 8 weeks.