March 2021 - What God's are you worshiping?

 

Students are back on campus!  Although the university is predominantly sticking with online instruction this year, quite a few students have returned to live on campus. Many have come because they don’t have internet at home or it isn’t reliable, others just want to be away from family, and some have practical classes held in person. Whatever the reason, it is great to be able to feel somewhat back to normal. 

Since South Africa has dropped back down to level 1 lockdown, we have started hosting a Bible study again at my house and the Gestrings are having a home church at their house on Sundays.

For our first Bible study of the year, we looked at Joshua 24:14-27.  Jeramiah instructs Israel to put away the gods of their fathers and the gods of the people around them and serve the Lord alone.  They were to be witnesses to each other of their commitment to serve the Lord and set up memorials to remember in the future.  These are such wise words, even if our “gods” look a bit different today. 

At the end of last year, we did a study based on the book “Gods at War” by Kyle Idleman.  He asks some key questions to help identify “gods” we are serving/worshiping in our lives that often take precedence practically, if not consciously, over the Lord.

• ·       What can you not imagine losing?
• ·       What causes your biggest disappointments?
• ·       What do you daydream about?
• ·       How do you spend your time and money?
• ·       What do you complain about the most?
• ·       What do you make financial sacrifices for?
• ·       Where do you run for comfort?

Our answers to these questions help us realize what is most important in our lives.  Where our time, money, and passion go, there lie our gods (or hopefully God!).  The study looked at 5 common gods who battle with the Lord in our hearts for our worship: pleasure, love, money, power, and self.

The beginning of a new phase of life (like a new year at university) is the perfect time to reflect on these questions, make changes if needed, and set up memorial stones to help us remember our decisions and commitments.