Our Focus and Our God
Acts 7:23-43
Key
Verse: “They
told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow
Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to
him!’ That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf.
(Acts
7:40-41a NIV)
Stephen
is continuing his speech before the Sanhedrin, reminding them of the
first time the Israelite turned from God to worship something else.
The Jewish leaders, here, know the warning of history and would never
do such a thing. But Stephen is letting them know that they indeed
have. Anytime we look to to something of our own making, our careers,
our reputation, our position, even our children or our spouse and
make that the central focus of our lives, where we find meaning, that
thing becomes what we worship. We are replacing with God with that
thing. In a world that is continually drawing our attention and
wanting our central attention to be on their thing, it is easier than
ever to make golden calves, sometimes unknowingly. Our central focus
is always to be on God, all the other things in our lives come after
God. Whenever we find that the other things squish out God, that we
have no time for the things God asks of us that is when we need to
pause and check ourselves to see where we have created golden calves.
It is a constant struggle and none of us are above it.
Prayer:
Lord
God, I know this in my heart and in my head, but sometimes, my
actions fall short of what I know. I find that instead of my focus
being on you, my focus is on a myriad of other things which society
encourages to be my focus. Help me to see when my eyes have shifted
off of you and help me to once again find my center in you. You are
my God and I desire to worship you and you alone in all things, help
me make that desire a reality in my daily life. Amen
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