What Are Your Priorities?

Cure for an obsession: get another one. -- Mason Cooley

Because we aren’t able to know God fully or comprehend just how awesome He is, we regularly turn our attentions to more finite things--things we can comprehend on a much more tangible level.

Just before Moses asked to see God’s glory fully, he had been up on Mount Sinai where he got an intense glimpse of the glory of God. Now he was descending the mountain with supernaturally carved tablets containing the law of the holy and powerful God. It might be safe to say that he was excited to go and tell his people what God had to say.

But what did he find? While he was gone, the Israelites made a large golden calf... and they were worshiping it as if their lives depended upon it!

He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us...’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”  (Exodus 32:21-24)

“Make us gods who will go before us.” That is the essence of idolatry. Idolatry takes place anytime we allow anything to take the place of God as the central life-giving almighty force in our life. In the Western world, golden calves are pretty much out of vogue, but in their place, we have managed to create a huge list of other things that become our substitute for God. And honestly, just like the Israelites, we worship these things as if our lives depend upon them.

• Girlfriends/boyfriends
• Careers
• Money
• Reputation
• Cars, houses, clothes
• The body, physical pleasures
• Knowledge
• Comfort
• Security
• The list goes on and on.

These things will stay with us and vie for our ultimate attention for the rest of our lives. However, it is our choice to give in to these things. Always choose God above all, because He is perfect and will not fail. His presence in us through Jesus is everything you will ever need.

God, at this moment, I acknowledge You as the most important thing in my life. Remind me to keep You where You belong in my priorities day by day. Keep me faithful and joyful in what You’ve given me. Amen.