The Daily Word: Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021
Leviticus 25:47-27:13
Mark 10:32-52
Psalm 45:1-17
Proverbs 10:22
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“‘You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.” – Lev. 26:1
The first of the Ten Commandments is: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). The second is like it: “You shall not make for yourself [an idol]” (Ex. 20:4). Those commandments are reiterated in our passage this morning. But pay careful attention to the wording: “You shall not make idols for yourselves…” (emphasis added).
Idolatry doesn’t just happen on its own. Idols don’t just pop up overnight! You have to build them. The building happens over time. Sometimes you realize it, other times you don’t. Sometimes it happens out in the open, but other times it is hidden. When we get bored in our walk with God, we build idols. When we get impatient as we wait for God’s promises to come to pass, we build idols! We put other things before God: slowly at first, and then all at once.
We all have idols in our lives. So skip the guilt trip! What you really need to know is how to tear them down. And the answer is easy: put your eyes back on Jesus. Give Him first place in your life! And as you sit at His feet and hear His Word, everything else will fall.
Prayer:
Father, I repent for not always following after You with my whole heart. I am putting my eyes back on You! And I know that as I do, everything else will fade away, in Jesus’ name.
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.