I just finished reading 2 Kings 17:14-15 and am reminded why I love this passage of Scripture. We see the people continually rejecting the Lord’s instruction and following after the other people living near them. “They worshipped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves.” (2 Kings 17: 15)
Are you comprehending this principle? Are you trying to figure out what is wrong with so many around you? Perhaps even you?
When we don’t listen to the Lord. When we refuse to believe in the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. When His instructions are rejected by people who say they belong to Him. When we despise all the warnings that God has given us, then…let me repeat, THEN we (as people) start to feel worthless. THEN we start looking for ways to meet that need within us so as not to not feel worthless. THEN we start looking to the “gods” of the people around us. THEN we start following the behaviors of people around us. BUT have we forgotten that there is only ONE true God of the Universe and He has already given us commands to follow.
“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.”(Proverbs 13:20) “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.”(2 Thess 3:6) “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”(1 Tim 4:7)
The more we hang around people who are of questionable character, the quicker we will become like them. It may seem pleasurable for a time but heed God’s warning, “Do not be misled, “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor 15:33) I hate to tell you this but you are not a special person who can handle being around such questionable behavior. God has told us what we need to do in order to live a life pleasing to Him. The best part, when we please Him, we also are pleasing to ourselves and those around us. We no longer feel worthless!
Hebrews 10: 22-24 is so helpful, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Don’t you love that last part? To encourage one another towards love and good deeds!
It is not the good deeds that bring you to Christ because then we would turn such behavior into a pat on the back for ourselves. Yep, we would brag that the reason that God loves us is because of what we are doing for Him. But that is far from the truth of the Word. Ephesians 2:8-10 is clear, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Doesn’t that give you hope? What a special gift we are offered from God…His grace. We are all sinful beings but the blood of Jesus is waiting to wipe that sin away when we turn our hearts to Him. When we confess our sin, He is waiting with open arms. The best part is that He has a special mission for each one of us as we give our lives to Him. No one mission is any better than another. He has planned it all out in advance, just waiting for us to see that He is the only one who can make us worthy.
Let’s finish with Hebrews 12: 1-2a, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” None of us are sinless, only Jesus! Is He calling to you today to throw off the worthless idols that are around you? Tell Him…that’s right…tell Him that you want to change. That you want to serve Him and not the people that you once highly esteemed. Are you ready to give up your past and turn to the only One who can bring you peace and joy?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I have sinned! I have looked to myself and those around me for the answers in life and have ignored your Word. I believe that You are the only one who has the answers to life and I am making the choice to take Your hand and start on a new path. Thank you Lord for loving me and being so patient with me. In Jesus name, Amen