GET RID OF LITTLE GODS (SMALL G)

Reading today from Acts 13, "It was required that God's Word be spoken first of all to you, the Jews.  But seeing that you want no part of it--you've made it quite clear that you have no taste or inclination for eternal life--the door is open to all the outsiders." 

We were the outsiders!  Our families each go back to the days of insiders and outsiders, the insiders  loving and honoring the True God (capital G)and the outsiders worshipping the little gods (small g).

Then, because of disbelief by the insiders,  the door was opened to the outsiders,( that's us!)  God (capital G) got through to us through the likes of fishermen and Paul, (who once hated the outsiders) and each of their disciples. We took it all in and accepted this man/God who died for our sins and later rose from the dead and was said to now live in us through His Spirit. Such a story!  Have you ever heard the like of it?  Well, neither have I, and I say that it is true, for such a thing as this could never be imagined.  And all I see around me--- lives which have changed--- a book that is full of similar life changes and wonderful, fantastic miracles all being done by the work of God and the Son of God.  Why would some doubt it?

Yet, we of the Capital G God have fallen.  Yes, we have.  So many of us have been picking up
 small g gods and adoring them.  No, they don't quite have the same look of those in the days of Peter and Paul, but they are definitely gods. They may not be made of metal or wood, plaster or plastic, but they aren't any more precious than cardboard, not in the scale of things that God sees as good.

They are gods, all right.  Of course, they don't have to be, but many of us have made them into and like gods.  These are things like youthfulness, beauty, that which is in, ideas, travel, the best sport team, what to wear, what to buy, making money, or living without it and the fear of more poverty. We have even taken our misfortunes and illnesses, deaths, destruction of property and touted them up to become more important than God.  We have small g gods in almost every area of our lives. And I don't see myself totally released from this bondage.

Everything in our lives becomes more important than God, at times, too important to remember the One God who accepted us so long ago as insiders.  It is a grand place to be, inside.  Inside of God's arms, inside His love, inside of the right to someday be on the Inside of the Heavenly Places.

I want to be an Insider.  I want to be...for sure...an insider who puts God first in her life.  I want to have God at my elbow, pulling or pushing me wherever He wants me to go.  No lie... I want God to be  the big G God, first and foremost my God, first and foremost in my life.

So are you with me? God was and God is and evermore shall be.  It is He who is to be the One among us. And if we really are insiders, lets get rid of the little g gods. List them in our lives  secondly or thirdly or even further down the list of importance. Look to the God of all of us, insiders and outsiders, but we insiders are the ones who must be noticed for we carry the name, the adored of God, God's Insiders..

So, look to the God of all of us, insider and outsider.  Look to our Creator, Redeemer, Master, and Friend.   Amen.

Are you looking?     Jo