worship God | Thoughts About God

Perspective

Devotionals — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:06:13 +0000

“Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve only Him“ Luke 4:8

I had spent much of the week cleaning. It was very hot. We were having a group of people over for a barbecue. Because of the heat, it seemed better to serve the food in the garage rather than on the hot sundeck. So I washed the walls, washed the floor and painted it.

It did look a lot better – clean and pleasant and cool. But it took a lot more time than I expected. Just to take everything out of the garage, sort it all and put it back was a mammoth job.

On Saturday, as I was sweeping the sundeck and sidewalks, I began to wonder if all the work was worth the few hours they would be here. These thoughts came to me:

“Whatever you do, do it as unto me” and “Whatever you have done unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.”

So I decided to focus on the fact that Christ was my guest that night. For some reason, I was suddenly motivated to set the tables more carefully and make sure the table centerpieces looked prettier. When the guests arrived, I greeted them with much more enthusiasm.

Perspective! Christ was at the barbecue that night – in the lives of each one of the people who came.

Lord Jesus, You came to serve and not to be served. And we are to have the exact same attitude. Sometimes I forget. I get tired of serving and I become self-centered. Forgive me, Lord. Burn into my heart and mind the realization that I am serving You no matter what the job is or who the people are. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

A Better Perspective

From God’s Perspective

The post Perspective appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Silent Before Him

Thoughts_About_God — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:06:16 +0000

“Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:19-20

For a people consistently warned to turn away from their idols, the Israelites sure seemed to turn back them with annoying frequency. God unambiguously told them “Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:4) Yet time after time, “They worshiped idols, though the LORD had said, “You shall not do this.”” (2 Kings 17:12) This temptation remains for us today, which is why the apostle John warned us by saying “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)

What makes idols so appealing? The words of God given to the prophet Habakkuk reveal one reason idols are so appealing to us: They don’t talk back.

Idols stand silent. We talk to them, and try to coax them into doing our bidding. All such idols are, of course, false: “[Idols] can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.” (1 Samuel 12:21) But we turn to them so frequently because we feel like we are in control of them. We get to do all the talking and don’t have to listen since they don’t talk back. And in our fallen state, we like to hear ourselves talk. We like to be in control, or at least pretend that we are. Idols never make requirements of us, never challenge us when we sin.

Consider money. Money never tells us what to do. We tell it what to do. This may be why Jesus spoke so often about money; not because it is intrinsically evil, but because it can become an egregious example of idolatry. We like it because we use it however we choose, and it never complains. It never talks back.

By contrast, the true God of scripture is revealed as the God who speaks. The Lord spoke the universe into creation (Genesis 1) and has continued speaking to us ever since. When the Lord of the universe speaks, what can we do except remain silent before Him: “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20) The God who speaks can be intimidating, for He who embodies truth, unlike idols, does make requirements of us, challenges us, and wants a loving relationship with his children. Perhaps that’s also part of the attraction of idols: God desires relationship with us, and relationships can at times be messy.

All idolatry is ultimately a form of self-worship: Turning away from the true God who speaks and is deserving of our worship, to mute idols who we falsely believe listen to our vain commands. Let us today recommit to choosing the living and true God who has redeemed us by his blood, and saves us from our sins by virtue of his grace. Let us reaffirm our desire to listen to the God who speaks, and cast aside all useless idols which dishonor our loving God. And let us pray to hear what God has to speak into our lives today.

Questions: Take time to identify which idol is most tempting for you: What is it? How can you seek God’s help to turn away from it?

by Darren Hewer
Used by Permission

Remember—The One Choice

Thoughts_About_God — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 08:01:53 +0000

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5: 13

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24: 15

The 2024 political campaigns are nearly complete and the national and many local and state elections are but hours away. Republicans and Democrats have had their say, leaving the public to determine which one has the answers to questions, concerns and uncertainty facing our nation, and the path forward through our own individual struggles.

While uncertainty, disbelief, anxiety, doubt, and fear begin to reign instead. Which one to choose to kneel before, bow to, and embrace. In which one to put our faith and trust either, or any.

As we turn to look and wonder whether there are any other choices. How about this One?

The One to whom the Apostle John refers in Revelation that “every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

The One to whom the Apostle Paul points to in Philippians as to whom “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

The One Joshua reaffirms at the end of his life that “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That choice. That One. The Lord God Almighty. At the end of all the ages, these kings will all bow down.

Presidents and royalty, faces to the ground. There will be no doubt that Jesus Christ is Lord. And I’ll be there to see Him, seated on His throne. There will be a holy roar, as the saints sing to their Lord.

Answers. Faith. Trust. Peace. Direction. Hope. Eternal assurance.

The one choice for all things, now and forever—The Lord of Lords, the King of Kings.

Jesus is the one choice.
by Scott Whitaker

used by permission from John Grant