1 And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. 4 The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. 5 I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:
6 ‘I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
7 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
8 ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 9 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
~Deuteronomy 5:1-10
How many times have I read those words and just moved right along saying- of course. How many times have I told myself- You have no other god. It is not a verse I often take into account but the other day God kind of knocked me up side the head with it. As I read it, I was ready to move along as I always do but there was something holding me back. So I read it again and tried to move on and still I could not. I finally stopped and took a minute to think on those words and when I did my life was laid before me to search and I found something I did not like. I had another god. I had bowed down to another and had been for a very long time.
What is this god? My computer; namely Facebook. Facebook is not bad but it is addicting and distracting. I have noticed my “addiction” in the past and even taken time away from it but at the end of the week or month or whatever it is always the same.
Facebook has consumed my life. It has taken away my time from my family, it has reduced my communication with family and friends to mere jots on a “wall”, most of all my relationship with God has suffered to the point that I feel as though we barely ever talk. That is a scary, horrible feeling and I do not ever want it to become a hold in my life. I have struggled with giving it up which in turn tells me that it has become entirely too important in my life.
Yes. I do like to keep up with my family and friends but I would rather have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with them than what I get from Facebook.
I am ready to get away with my Bridegroom!
Striving to live the Normal Christian life!
Through Christ,
Lady B
I struggled with the same thing...Leslie Ludy's video "Three Questions" really, really convicted my heart. I now no longer have a facebook (have not since November) and 1)I have survived. ;) 2) It is the most freeing feeling ever...not only that, but my relationship with Christ has grown so much over the past couple months, and I don't even want to get a facebook again.
ReplyDeletePraying for you as you seek to lay down this idol in your life! He is faithful!
~Melanie
Good post! It is so easy to have idols become first in your heart. I tend to think of idols as made of some material- wood, iron, gold, silver... Really it is in your heart. I know I have things I have to constantly keep my eye on or they become my idols! (and I am sure there are many more I don't yet realize..)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragment of going in the right direction. I pray God Blesses you!