Stewardship Pt 1 Devo

 October 2nd, 2016  

Devotional

“Shiny Gods: Naming Our Idols” - Exodus 32: 2-4, Psalm 135: 15-18, Luke 10:27

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Monday: “Naming Our Idols” - Exodus 32: 2-4

If Aaron, brother of Moses and second in command as the Israelites were led through the wilderness, could give into the temptation of worshipping idols, it could happen to any of us. Aaron is left alone as his brother goes up the mountain to receive a word from God. Not long after he left, the people began to complain and kept complaining, until Aaron gave in. Not only was he the one who collected their gold he was the the one who told them it was the golden calf lead them out of the land of Egypt! What a big change in attitude from one of the leaders of the people!

Perhaps the most dangerous thing we could ever do is convince ourselves that we would never give into the temptation of putting idols before God. While I hope that it is true that you never put anything or anyone before God, all too often we become blind to what we are doing when we start to worship idols in our lives, because we have convinced ourselves that surely that is something we would never do. As a result, we have stumbled into sin without even realizing what we are doing is a sin! Instead, let us ask God to search our hearts and reveal to us those places were idols have taken root, so that we can confess and ask God to free us from them. 

What are some common idols that you could start to put before God if you are not careful?

Why do you think Aaron changed so quickly in the Exodus passage? What warning can this be for our lives today?

Prayer: Jesus, we confess that sometimes we think that we are above sin. We act as if we can get by life on our own power, instead of asking you to reveal to us any unconfessed sin so we can bring it to your throne of grace. Search us today, O Lord, and point out to us any idols that have taken root in our lives, so that you may remove them by your grace and power! Amen. 

Tuesday: “The Work of Human Hands” - Psalm 135: 15-18

There are two very dangerous types of idols that can crop up in out lives if we are not in check. The first idol is the type revealed by the Psalmist in today’s reading. The work of human hands. While the Psalmist is speaking about silver and gold, which were literally made by people, today a similar way to express this type of idol would be the things that you think you have earned and deserve by your own power. 

It is hard for people to let go of their money, and even give it to God from whom all things come, if they believe that it is “theirs”. That they earned it and thus, they have the right to do with it what they please. One way to keep this idol in check is to remember that all work is a gift from God and that all we receive because of that work is truly God’s in the first place. Having a different perspective can do a lot to combat this particular type of idol when it crops up in our lives. 

What does “the work of human hands” look like in your life? Do you struggle with this type of idol? Why or why not?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that at times we think we are the ones who have achieved something - the ones who have earned our paycheck or the ones who deserve to spend money as we wish, even if it is outside of your will. Lord, help us keep in perspective that all we have is truly yours and should be used to glorify your name. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Good Gifts” - Matthew 8: 21-22

The second type of problematic idols, I believe is much more common amongst believers. These are the idols that we have made out of the good gifts that God has given us. God has blessed us so richly, with friends, family, shelter, food, etc. But these things can become an idol if we put them before God in our lives. We may not realize what we are doing at first, because we simply believe that we are enjoying what God has gifted us with, but if we are not careful, we can start to put the desire of our friends and family, and our passion for food, shelter, etc, ahead of following Jesus.

I have shared before that today’s scripture passage is one that troubles me. For years I could not wrap my mind around why Jesus would not let this man bury his father. But what if the man was putting his allegiance to his father, even his deceased father, ahead of following Christ? We need to thank God for the abundant blessings in our lives, but we cannot use them as an excuse not to follow where our Savior leads. 

Have you ever taken a good gift God has given you and turned it into an idol? What was the result? How can we face this struggle?

Prayer: Lord, first and foremost, we want to thank you for the abundant blessings in our lives. We have more good gifts by your hand than we can even begin to count. But, Lord, we confess that at times we have turned these blessings into idols, as we have looked to them for fulfillment instead of to the one who gave the gift in the first place. Forgive us, Lord, we pray. Amen. 

Thursday: “Do Not Worship Other Gods” - 2 Kings 17: 38-41

The problem with idols, is even when we do not mean to, we start to worship them. We start to think about the next time we can be with them. The next time we can buy more. We can even begin to structure our very lives around them.

2 Kings reminds us that we are to worship God alone. Loving God and seeking the Kingdom of God should be the first priority in our lives. We are to worship God for who God is and what God has done in our lives - which is unmatched by any other person or thing. 

The issue in this passage is that the people tried to worship God, not because they loved God but in order to appease God, while still having their idols on the side. Sound familiar? The truth is we cannot love God and have idols. We need to ask God to come and free us from any idols that are preventing us from giving our lives and hearts fully to Christ. 

What are some ways we try to worship God and keep our idols? What happens when we do this?

What idols do you need to hand over to God in your own life?

Prayer: Lord, we are a fickle people. We think that we can have everything we want, including you and our idols. Lord, remove those things we have turned into idols in our lives, so we can solely be focused on you. We pray this is the mighty name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.  

Friday: “Love” - Luke 10:27

Jesus was asked what the greatest commands was in the law of God - and Jesus gave two different ones that are related, love God with all you are and all you have and love your neighbor as yourself. This seems to be what Jesus is pointing his followers to, both those who walked this earth with him and us today, to love.

But love isn’t easy. Sometimes our love of God gets displaced by the love of other people and things. Sometimes we don’t quite now how to express or show our love to God. Sometimes it may be difficult to feel the love of God, yet that is what the Lord commanded. To keep pointing our lives back to God, to keep returning our hearts to God, even when we slip into sin. Let us intentionally do this in the days and weeks to come. 

What is one way that you express your love to God?

What is one way that you show your love for your neighbors? 

Prayer: Lord, you have invited us to love. To love you, O Lord. To love our neighbors. To love those we never thought we would associate with, let alone love. To love with all we are and all we have. To love even when it is hard. Thank you, O God, for inviting us into your realm of love and encouraging us to share this love with others. Amen.