PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: 2 Kings 17-18
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Burning incense to the bronze snake Moses had made. It was called Nehushtan.” (2 Kings 18:4)
We were made to worship: to love, trust and serve God with our lives.
All humans worship, but ever since the Fall humans worship the wrong things.
Whatever we love and trust and serve becomes our God.
We see in these chapters that God’s people were still worshipping… the wrong gods.
Someone has said that the human heart is an idol factory.
We turn objects, people, desires, dreams, etc. into the things we love, trust and serve.
As Jesus followers we are not immune from this, we fall into the same trap.
We worship success, money, personal ambition, our opinions, our reputation.
We worship our own happiness… we devote our time, talents and treasures to it!
We even worship the things that were meant to point to God – like the bronze snake.
We worship our churches, denominations, doctrines, worship styles or instruments.
We love, trust and serve our opinions as if our rightness is what makes us right with God.
Idolatry is something we all fall into, and religious idolatry is often the most subtle.
The Spirit is nudging me to discern the gifts of God I worship – my own Nehushtan.
PRAYER
Lord, I sense you challenging me to stop loving, trusting and serving my own theological opinions and bible interpretations. Show me the idols that are getting between me and you!
“They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.” Syncretism/compromise – what is genuine worship of the Lord – anything else is not even lukewarm! What is genuine faith? Then comes Hezekiah – finally someone who cleans things up – but it seems he forgets the power of God – he leans on his own wit and initiative. Easy for me to say – in the face of a challenge or crisis – we tend to do the same – yet like Hezekiah – we need to anticipate that the Lord will deliver and work things out – we need to be faithful. The world around us, like Sennecarib can boast and brag – but really they have no firm foundation. Lord Jesus help me to lean on you and worship you in spirit and in truth – no ‘act’ of worship – but living heartfelt – from a deep devotion to follow you, Jesus!
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Yet as the people of Israel did, so do we the people do this day – we focus on what the nations around them did. They went after their gods and followed their evil ways and did not fear the Lord.
Always be careful what you do is also meant for me. I need to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and follow His ways. I nee hold fast to the Lord and serve Him only today and always. It is He Who gives me strength each say and I need to serve Him, today and always.
1
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
2
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conqu’rors we are!
3
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!