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A Morning View Near the Patio

I really need to stay off of Facebook. I am so stirring in my heart of the vile nastiness and attacking of others in an open forum where one does not need to sit face to face with another to talk. Please do not discount my internal concern for where we are as a nation moving forward in these times, but my internal concern for my soul and your soul runs deep. I am sure some will read this and post and think that I am not a passionate, freedom loving, red white and blue blooded American. Some will read this and believe that he is just living selfishly as a privileged white male. Right now, I could care less what you think of me.
My concentration in my undergraduate degree was Political Science. I have studied the founding documents our nation is built upon. I can recite parts of many of such documents. I believe in certain unalienable rights. I took 8th Graders to Washington D.C. because I believe the foundation of our nation and the freedoms we proclaim are important to know and understand. I believe in the freedoms to wear a mask or not to wear a mask in public. It does not matter selfishly what I believe. What matters is how I selflessly live.
We have never been promised a rose garden. Many of us now are experiencing how others in our nation have always lived. I know many of you are typing a response as you read this. I honestly do not care what "side" of the political spectrum you are on. What I care about is where is you spiritual heart right now?
We have lived in a nation where we truly have not needed God. Yes, God becomes a token for us on Sunday and other times when we meet throughout the week. But we have become a selfish people who really are not surrendered to God. We depend on what we have, what we earn or what we can get. I could go on.
The scripture that jumped out at me today is a familiar one, even to those who do not proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior. It is commonly known as the Ten Commandments. What particularly stuck out for me was the very first message about having no other gods before God. Interestingly the passage today ends with the same message. If we truly look at how we live, we have put an awful lot of gods before God. I am really convicted to reevaluate my life to see if I really am committed to Jesus Christ in practice or in principle. I put an awful lot of gods before God.
I am fine with disagreement in our culture of human stuff. Go for it. But I am not fine with the vile attack of people proclaiming Jesus Christ as Savior on other people in the name of little gods.
What gods are you putting before God?
Please do not argue or debate, just think about it. I might be wrong. I am just concerned about our souls not my possessions.
And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.”            - Exodus 20:1-23
Take inventory of your gods?
Peace,
PB

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