It is amazing that our Lord chose idol worship as the focus of the First Commandment. There is a reason why it has such significant standing. His truth has showed me that pride is at the root of every sin. At times, all of us struggle with who is in control of our lives. It is when we allow ourselves to direct our lives (without His counsel) we are inviting disaster. When our focus is purely on servicing ourselves, we are saying I can do this…, I can control this…, by my own strength I can predict and manipulate the outcome of my service.” This selfish focus takes us from the God’s will. C. S. Lewis said it was very difficult to be in the devil’s mindset to continue writing the “Screwtape Letters.” Even now, my flesh and spirit battle for control of my life to write this devotion centering on pride and boasting. It is a battle that His grace has won already.
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-31 “27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom. 31 As the Scriptures say, “The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.””
- Psalm 20:7 “Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the LORD our God.”
- Psalm 34:2 “I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are discouraged take heart.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:17 “As the Scriptures say, “The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.””
- 2 Corinthians 11:30 “If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.”
It is only when we truly worship, we chose to remove our pride. For where pride exists, idol worship remains and we continue in disobedience to our Lord’s First Commandment. It is when we truly worship; we fully recognize His awesome greatness. It leaves us eternally grateful for His love, amazed and bewildered at His grace and mercy. We are forever thankful for our gifted response.
(Taken from a devotion written April 1, 2006)