How do you feel when you tell someone something and he or she completely
ignores what you say? I don't mind telling you I find it extremely frustrating!
Not to mention the fact that I end up feeling less significant...
Exodus 20:1-3, "And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy
God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house
of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Here in the first few verses of Exodus 20, God reestablishes Himself in
the hearts and minds of His people – “I am the Lord thy God.” Oh, how
we ought to begin every day by reading and meditating upon these convicting
words! What a perfect start to any day, amen? Ladies, these are the very
words that God chooses and uses to describe Himself to us; to remind us
of who He is. They were etched in stone with His very own finger in a
very personal, explicitly stated manner. It is so easy for Christians
to lose sight of the Lord, and yet, as we consider the various situations
our Creator has brought us out of, it brings even greater grief to realize
that we are so quick to forget such an attentive God! “…which hath brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” I want you
to lay aside your cares to stop and ponder for a moment, the worldliness
that you have escaped at the help of the Lord. I want you to mull over
the bondage that He has lovingly rescued you from… How I would love to
compile the stories you ladies have regarding these two points and then
share the accounts among everyone to the glory and honor of God! What
awe-inspiring reading that would be for us all!
Now that we have given due attention to that which God has executed on
our behalf, let us consider the first commandment our Creator has declared…
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
What are we commanded not to put before God? Other gods… Yes, other people,
things, or loyalties that captivate our hearts and minds are to be placed
behind the Lord, not in front of Him! How many of you stand guilty of
this first commandment today? These eight little words force us to search
our hearts and look deep within, do they not? In them, we uncover our
selfishness and are given opportunity to ask for forgiveness. I would
venture to say that a great many of God’s people have violated this decree
and misaligned their affections. How do you think God feels when we adore
things other than Him? Probably as we do when we are disregarded – insignificant.
Psalm 81:9, “There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou
worship any strange god.”
Ladies, our Lord desires to be unique to each one of us; He is not to
be equaled! Is there anything or anyone in your life right now, which
either brings or could bring you more satisfaction than the Lord? If so,
you have placed a god before your God! Let His commandments clearly define
your true passions and then accurately prioritize them. As one song exclaims,
we must seek to honor His commands and pledge allegiance to the Lamb!
Our heavenly Father has done everything before He has asked anything of
man… Surely, He could get a positive response from us to His first commandment!
Not only is it the first, but it is of supreme importance…
Matthew 22:36-38, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment.”
In closing, if we have a right relationship with the Lord, we should have
no problem with His commandments… Jesus said that the first one is the
greatest one; it covers our entire being – let us take it as seriously
as our God and His Son told us to. Bring your heart, your soul, and last
but not least, your mind into submission to the Lord!
Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth
that I desire beside thee.”
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello
