"Listen-Up"

Genesis 35:2

If God has spoken on a subject, it is a wise person who listens, I had a teacher who always used the term “listen-up” and often I did not, and often I have not listened-up with what God has said, and that makes me foolish.  Jacob did listen-up, and this is the actions he took; “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.”  And they “listened-up” and did what Jacob had told them to do. 

The foreign gods they worshiped were images made of gold, silver, and other materials, they were somewhat noticeable; you and I may have called them no more than good luck charms.  But God called them foreign gods, and it is about time we learned to agree with  God and call things what he calls them.

We stated that a wise person listens when God speaks on a subject, but what if God speaks often on a subject, from Genesis to Revelation, then it would very wise of us to “Listen-up”.  A couple of examples are; Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.”  I John 5:21, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

And you and I often say in our hearts, I have no idols, but is that the truth or have we just changed the meaning of the word to fit our desires?   We have sinned against our Father’s instructions and His commandments.  What is an idol?  The dictionary gives this definition of the word idol: “an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.  A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered: movie idol Robert Redford.”  I’m sure that Robert Redford would tell you he makes a poor god, but we have found many things to place our faith in, such as, a teen idol hero, icon, celebrity, pet, our children, our job, our government, and that’s just listing a few.  Anything that takes the place of God, or anything we esteem before God, has just replaced God in our life!

The apostle Paul spoke the following; “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”  If someone or something has taken the place of God in your heart, “Listen-up” you are an idol worshiper.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice