“I wish the weather would make up its mind!”
I think almost every person greeting me at the door this past Sunday made that statement (or something similar) because it was so cold. When the 8:30 service began, it was 15 degrees, a far cry from the over 70 weather from earlier in the week. The weather pendulum was swinging back and forth, and it’s been doing so all winter.
I wonder if God ever says that about us. I wonder if he ever says, “I wish my people would just make up their mind?”
As a matter of fact, God has said that about his people. In 1 Kings, in chapter 18, the prophet Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. The people of Israel had stopped following the one true God, and began following Baal, the pagan god of fertility. Elijah is led by God to confront the prophets of Baal, and in I Kings 18:21, Elijah says, “How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, if Baal is God, follow him.” There is a challenge that follows, and God proves himself (once again) to the people of Israel.
We may not be following Baal, but there are plenty of other distractions that we make into gods, and follow with more zeal than we do our savior. We make gods of our money, our careers, and our status. We yearn for more and more followers on social media. We are easily and quickly led away from God. We come to worship on Sunday mornings, and we wholeheartedly surrender ourselves to God. But come Monday, we’re back to worshiping something or someone else.
I’m sure God is commenting on us the way we comment on the weather: I wish they’d make up their minds!
When I was just beginning to walk with God, I came across Proverbs 3:5,6 that addresses this very issue:
These words speak to the very point of faithful discipleship – if we want to follow God on the straight path, then God is to be acknowledged in ALL our ways, with ALL our heart. There is no saving a little piece of our hearts or lives for us, for some sinful behavior – it all must be given to God.
Only then will we be of one single mind and purpose.
Blessings,
Pastor John