ESOCS Devotional 22 February 2024 – A God-Centred Life
MEMORY VERSE: “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.”Jeremiah 10:10
TEXT: JEREMIAH 10:1-10
Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
10 But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
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In our reading today, Jeremiah the prophet extols the glory of the Living God, while exposing the foolishness of idolaters. He warns his people not to copy the evil ways of the Gentiles who make idols and worship or be afraid of them. Instead, we must stand in awe of “the Maker of all things,” giving glory and honour to Him alone! Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?” He is incomparable! The LORD God is the Everlasting One, from whom all life originates and in Him all live! (Acts 17:28). His very essence is revealed to us through His Son Jesus Christ, who showed us who He is (John 14:9). And through Him, we receive life eternally!
God made the whole earth by His power and stretched the heavens by His understanding, and founded the world by His wisdom. These invisible attributes of God are seen in the whole creation. But people “…exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:22). They began to worship and serve the created things than the Creator! (Romans 1:25). The senses of those who involve in such idol worship become corrupt and wicked. God speaks to mankind who worship their gods – such worthless objects will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.
Do we think only wooden idols are real idols? No! There are idols which we carry within ourselves – venerated people, money, position, fame, etc, to which we give more importance than Jesus Christ. Let us examine ourselves today to see if we have any of them in us. If so, repent and confess of such sin so that the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse you to walk in the newness of life in Christ! If Christ is not at the centre of our lives, we will deteriorate spiritually, and we may not even realize we are out of the Grace of God!
Therefore, be watchful lest we drift away (Hebrews 2:1) “so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises” (Hebrews 6:12)’
- If anyone worships man-made gods, he will be just like them – no difference at all: abominable in the sight of God. If anyone makes anyone or anything a priority to God, he makes himself an infidel, an unbeliever who would be rejected by God and cast away forever! Examine yourself and ensure that you enthrone God alone in everything concerning your life.
- Lord Jesus, help me to remain faithful to the Father alone all the days of my life.
Further Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-25; Matthew 19:16-end; James 1:1-11
ESOCS Devotional 22 February 2024
