Becoming Your Own God

Scripture: After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. ... Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. ... Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. Judges 2:10-11,16,18-19

Observation: After the death of Joshua, we see what will happen with Israel. First, Judah succeeds in driving out other nations, but other tribes fail. From there, the book of Judges tells us what will happen next before it even happens ... a cycle of sin that angers God, followed by God's redemption through a Judge, followed by a time of protection, followed by a new cycle of even worse sin. This cycle begins because the people no longer know and trust in God, and are influenced by the worship of others whom they failed to expel from the land. However, the continuation of the cycle is summarized by one final sentence: The people of Israel refuse to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

In other words ... in their stiff-necked stubbornness, they are quick to lose sight of God's love and resulting teaching, however they refuse to let go of their own selected practices even from generation to generation. They prefer their own wisdom over God's wise instruction. They become ... their own god.

Application: This is the nature of self-worship: Deciding your actions based on your own thoughts, wishes, and desires, while ignoring God's loving teaching. I do this ... daily.

I repeatedly make decisions without consulting God (at best), or while determining that maybe what I'm going to do isn't in line with God's word but it is what needs to be done at this time. This is the worst act of all - it is the act of serving another God, named 'me'. This is a practice that must stop in my life first, before I could ever expect others to stop such a practice. I must remember what God has done for me and prior generations - sacrificing his son Jesus for my salvation - and own the fact that his wisdom is so superior to mine that whatever I think may be right must only be done in the context of God's word, teaching, and love.

I am not a god. And I must stop serving myself as if I were.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you this day for your love, your wisdom, and your teaching. May I embrace your word as a light unto my feet, and humbly walk in your ways this day. Please take my hand, daddy, and be my guide. I ask forgiveness for my sins and my failings, which too often are the product of pride. I serve you, and you alone. Amen.