What's Wrong with Us?

Josh 24:15-16 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

I'm taking my blog straight from my daily devotional post today.

God had protected, fed, and guided the Israelites. He had shown His glory to them, brought them through every trial - out of slavery and right to the promised land. Yet despite the history of His faithfulness to the ones He loved, they turned to idols. They sought physical, tangible things to worhsip. They lost their faith in our holy, merciful, everlasting Creator. Joshua stood firm for the Lord, saying, you people do what you will, but I'm trusting God.

What about us today? Where is our faith? This morning as my husband and I studied Acts, a couple things came to mind that have been niggling at my heart for awhile. We've become complacent and lazy in our worship. When did the faithful decide it was no longer necessary to get on our knees to humble ourselves before God? And when did we decide it was no longer necessary to fast when we cry out to Him to save us from our sin?

Look at the condition of our country. We claim to be a Christian nation. Show me where we demonstrate that. We've stood dumb while abortion has been legalized. Even worse, we allow live-born infants to be murdered during birth in the name of some unjustifiable cause. We allow the government to apportion our finances according to a few liberals who justify taking from the rich to give to the lazy. We don't take care of our own needy within the body as we ought to. We go to church on Sunday with smiles on our faces, teary as we worship, living a lie.

We are in dire straights. If you don't see that, you're not only living a lie, you're walking blindfolded. It's time to face the light. Scripture gives us a clear outline for living. This is not some church or government mandate.

This is how God tells us to live:

• Love God first - ponder what that means. (Matthew 22:37)
• Give our firstfruits back to God with a cheerful heart - meditate on this. (Exodus 23:19)
• Love our neighbors as ourselves - Think about it. (Matthew 22:39)
• Support the body of Christ - look our for each other, encourage one another - consider what that looks like. (Hebrews 3:13)
• Take care of widows and the orphans. (James 1:27) * This is not to be confused for prostitutes, fornicators and adulterers who, without concern for themsleves, others or their children, endlessly bear infants, then stick their fat hands out expecting the government to support them.

What are the idols that keep us from doing what God asks us?

Cars
Television
Music
Movies
Property
Possessions
Relationships
Jobs
Cell phones
Food
Pets
Vacations

Add your own idol to the list. Anything that takes our attention from the heart of God is an idol. Does that mean we're not to enjoy life? On the contrary. If we're attentive to His call, putting Him first, giving back to Him, and following His ways, our joy will be complete. If we suffer for God, we are to count it all joy. Why? Because our reward is not in this world. What comes after is so much better - far beyond our greatest imagining.

If we put our hopes and find our pleasure in the things of this world, do we truly believe the promise of heaven? Ponder what that means. Seek ye first the kingdom of God...

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Will you come to your knees with me today?

Lord God, You are Creator! Your magnificence and power are beyond our ability to even comprehend. It's because You are beyond our imagining, that we get lost in our own stuff, seek the tangible things of this world, forget who You really are, just as the Israelites did long ago. O God be merciful and forgive us! Help us to turn from our wicked foolishness and to fall before Your throne in utter submission and to worship You as You deserve. You alone are God. You alone are worthy. Thank You for Your understanding and love, Your continual forgiveness when we realize the depths of our depravity. We leave our idols and come to you emptied of ourselves, seeking only You. We love You and praise You and thank You for all things and turn to You now. Would new hope spring up for our nation as we trust in You. In Jesus' precious and matchless name, amen.