Awakened by the Pronouns

Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deuteronomy 13:4 (KJV)

The pronouns of this verse have jumped out at me this morning. I simply had to go back and underscore them for emphasis, because they are being emphasized to me by the Spirit in a powerful way even as I write this devotional. I am recalling the many individuals I have walked after, feared (trusted), listened to, obeyed, followed, served, and cleaved (clung) to in my life when all the while the Lord God Himself was yearning for me to turn to Him. I am not talking about my years BEFORE I knew Christ as my Savior. I am referring to the decades AFTER I accepted Him.

Until recently, I have found it easier to listen to, watch, and emulate the people God has brought into my life. Instead of seeing them as channels, tools, and object lessons that God was using to encourage, enlighten, and instruct me, I was clinging to them with all that I had in me. I was somehow convinced they were the ones who could fix me, nurture me, and sustain me. It was rare that I saw my journey as just between God and me. I somehow needed a third party with us.

God was not the one I ran to for advice, comfort, encouragement, assurance, or security. While I may not have ever thought of fashioning an idol out of wood or gold, I bowed before my idols of flesh and looked to them to meet my many internal needs. I longed for them to give me affirmation, attention, and love. I sought their wisdom, opinions, and leadership. The sad thing is, without His loving and steadfast intervention I would still be living that way. As a loving but jealous God, He simply will not allow me to replace Him with any individual or object.

He has had to patiently and persistently teach me that turning to Him was the best of all choices. What He had to offer me would far exceed what any person could give me or do for me. Oh the joy the I have found in finally embracing Him as my Counselor, Comforter, Companion, and Champion! He still uses people in my life but now I can hear His voice as they speak, feel His hands as they minister, and know His presence as we fellowship together. He is finally at the center of my life and worship!

Father, thank you for not giving up on me when I so often failed to look to You. I repent of my idolatry and whole heartedly prefer You! Amen.