What's Worse is 'God the Option'

Scripture: For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands; with their idols they have committed adultery; and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my sabbaths. Ezekiel 23:37-38

Observation: Yahweh identifies the northern and southern kingdoms as two different people, be they the lands of Israel and Judah, Ephraim and Judah, or Samaria and Jerusalem. We know that the northern land turned away from the Lord almost immediately after Solomon died, and led by their kings - most notably Ahab - they totally departed from their faith and worshipped all sorts of other gods. They were destroyed first. The southern land of Judah went back and forth in the quality of their kings, retaining some level of faith in Yahweh and maintaining temple practices in Jerusalem, before blending the belief systems of other gods into all their practices. For this, many times in scriptures, the Lord declares that the sins of the southern kingdom were worse.

At first, this is odd ... at least the south kept the Lord in the mix. Everyone had some level of faith in the Lord, even if they also believed in other gods, while the north seemed to embrace the baals. However, in his metaphorical discussion with Ezekiel, God is clear about what 'worse' truly is ... it is knowing the truth, but turning that into just part of your faith. The worst thing someone can do is to worship the Lord, but also worship other gods because Yahweh is just one of their options.

Application: I have considered this before ... it is worse to know the truth about Jesus and reject him, than to not know him at all. For years, I fell into the former, as a person who had decided to reject what I had learned. This is far worse, and far more depraved in the eyes of God, than a person who doesn't know about the gospel.

In my life, I need to apply this to my actions. It is far worse that I read the bible and think upon it ... then go off during the day and fail to love others, pray, give God glory, and place faith for my life into his hands ... than it would be if I never even pondered God's word.

I need to start this focus by replacing idle time with prayer time. I should meditate on the word instead of on past issues, or future worries, or financial challenges, or (especially) the problems I have with other people. In my life, 'worse' means knowing the Lord, but following the world. I know I am not "evil" like the northern kingdom, but I certainly need to avoid be "worse" like the southern.

Prayer: Lord, you are my God, and my only God. I have no other source of faith and hope in my life. May I lean into that faith more and more, meditating on you during my quiet times and thought times, led by your Holy Spirit to find a deeper relationship with only you. Amen.