That thing.

Last week, I was given the opportunity to go see the production of Moses at the Sight and Sound theater in Branson. Remembering this story fondly as I recall Easter eves hearing Charleton Heston declare, "Let my people go!" in Cecil B. DeMile's rendition of The Ten Commandments, the story came to life as I watched camels, goats, and horses strut up and down the aisles of the theater in perfect cohesion. There were parts that made the audience gasp and applaud, as well as grip the arms to their seat as the waves parted and the Hebrew people ran through the dry sea. The show was phenomenal.

And then the curtains fall. And the actors take a bow and head backstage. And the lights go down. 

But the true Word of God lives on. 

As I reflected on scripture, specifically Exodus, this verse jumped off the page: "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 am a jealous God." (v. 4) My  mind immediately went to the scene from De'Mile's version where Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets and the people were having a party complete with gold cows that they were worshiping. When you think about that verse and compare it to a movie that  you grew up watching, making that connection in your own life gets to be a little confusing as it is easy to say that I certainly don't worship anything or anyone other than God. 

Or do I?

Did you know that you can worship something and not be aware of it? I am just going to be totally transparent here when I tell  you that my life is certainly not rainbows and unicorns all the time. I realize that many of you know how I deal with broken people on a daily basis, but that is my calling (as I believe we are ALL called to do if we really admit it to ourselves) and God has equipped me for that. He has softened my heart and given me eyes to love on people and walk side by  side with when it would be easier just to look the other way.  But then there are other things.

Many of you know that my husband has been looking for a job since July. Just for curiosity's sake, we tried to add up the amount of interviews he has been on as well as the number of applications/resumes he has submitted. The number is almost laughable. His full time job has become to look for a job. In addition to that, he continues to lead our kindergarten/first grade Sunday school class on Sunday mornings, our Wednesday night children's class, our small group, his pantry day at the Conway Ministry center, his Renewal Ranch gig... Yeah, lots. 

And do you know that there is not a day that goes by that we don't have what we need? Not one day. God has provided for us in ways we cannot understand. And to say that I  worship money is so silly... How can you worship something you don't have? Here's how: it starts small, and before you know it,  you are thinking about it more and more and instead of of focusing on the One that provides the need; you become honed in on the need itself. 

Maybe it's not money. What has stolen your focus from God? Maybe it is another person. Maybe it is your calendar. Maybe it is entertainment. Friends, ask God to reveal it to  you because most of the time, we don't realize that it is happening. But what we do know that there is an evil presence in this world that wants to separate us from God and his blessings. I believe that daily distractions are his first line of defense. No one says that they have ever gone out and created false idols and worshiped them but everyone, including me if being truthful, have allowed something to become the focus of our life rather than the blessings that God has for us. 

If this has  convicted anyone like I was convicted when I realized what was happening, a simple prayer to an Almighty God combined with the want to refocus your attention on Him works wonders. There is not one simple formula to declare, rather just thank God for allowing you to see what He is trying to tell you, confess to Him that you want Him to become the focus instead of whatever it is that is standing in the way of that, and don't turn back. 

There is freedom in the name of Jesus and it is for us all. Be blessed.