Day One - The god of me

"I warned you when you felt secure, but you said 'I will not listen..." - Jeremiah 22:21 (NIV)

     I am currently reading the book of Jeremiah.  I must admit it is a book, until now, that I have done very little study into, until now.   This verse captivated me.  In the King James version it is translated as " I spake to thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear."   In the Message version it is reads "I spoke to you when everything was going your way. You said "I'm not interested".

My husband has been laid off of work about a year now.  We have hopes of him returning to work soon.
We live in a small rural area and work is not easy to find.  It has been a financially challenging year with me working more than I want to.  We have two children and my heart is to be home with them, but my flexible job has kept the family afloat and He is working great wonders in my family as we have gone through this process.  Trust has kept me afloat and kept the gift of the eternal spring of hope alive.  This brings me to the first entry in this blog. The god of me.  Some of you are puzzled at the name of this blog.  "Has she suddenly gone pagan?" some of you are asking yourself.  No, that I will never do, but I do want to share with what Paul wrote the Corinthians in 1 Cor 15:31 about how it was necessary every day to die daily to himself. The god (little g) of me can be the most powerful, corrupt and evil god there is.

We have a God (big G).  He is the creator of all things.   He tells us in His word that there were no gods before him and there are no gods after him.  Now, I am not speaking to any one other than Christians at this point.  I am teaching from the perspective that you have acknowledged that God exists and our ONLY salvation is through the sacrifice of Jesus and He is your Lord.  A lot of Christians will admit that much.  But, these same Christians hold God second to the 'god of me.'  Let me explain.

We know that God actually speaks to us through His living word, but our other god, the god of me, needs to make sure I get everything else done, before I can 'make time' to sit and read and study.  The God of all creation beckons us to sit with Him, share and bask in the presence of unconditional love, but instead the god of me must ensure that all the tasks of conditional approval are checked off the list first.  The most loving, brilliant, compassionate, loving wise Father of mine has a present for me each morning.  A brilliant perfect instrument designed for my day is prepared for just me each morning.  This makes me smile as I think of the old James Bond movies (or Get Smart, if you would rather) and how he was given special tools made for his assignments.  Although this brings a smile to my face, my Father's tools are more complex and more intricately designed than any fictional tool for a movie character.  Each day the gift of tools designed in love are waiting for me as my Father beckons me each morning to come and sit a while.  But I am pulled away, by the god of me.  The 'god of me' is infinitely less powerful.  She doesn't know the future.  She doesn't hold the past in her hands, like sand it has escaped her.   She can offer me nothing but memories of failures past and random successes (most begotten from circumstances from which were out of her control).  She can offer me no healings, no hedges of protection, and her inner words of wisdom are restricted to avoiding certain "potholes" in life.

Yet, although I have an all powerful, omnipotent, Father who's wisdom, mercy and grace are beyond my understanding, one who loves me beyond anything I could ever comprehend or begin to deserve and has sacrificed everything for me, I ask Him to take a ticket and wait behind the self important god of me.

How many of us, if given the opportunity, were given a benefactor, who offered us endless wealth if only we lived a certain way, provided this way was moral and right.  How many would care if our friends disagreed with us or if they did  not approve, if in the end we knew what we were doing was right AND it pleased our financial benefactor?  I dare say a good many would see clear to live according to this, for the goal of financial security.  So try to imagine (and it will be very, very, hard for some) that there is something more valuable than money.  Imagine a currency that provides love, hope, and joy.  This is only part of the legacy that the God of Jacob, Moses and Abraham promises to you.  Not only that, He gives you gifts of them along the way, the only thing you need to do is make yourself available to receive them.  How do you do that?  Accept that He is your Father and begin acting like His child.  Accept the gift of life that Jesus gave you and because of that sacrifice, the road to your Father is a clear path.  Admit that the god of me is a false god that offers you nothing compared to the love and sacrifices Jesus has made for you.  Understand that everything you can gather to sacrifice to the 'god of me', is a pathetic pittance to the Father that owns the cattle on a thousand hills and every animal in the forest (Psalm 50:10).

     Lastly, the 'god of me' will run you ragged until you have nothing to give.  Nothing that you do will ever be enough.  Just when you think you can rest, the 'god of me' will remind you that you are not enough and you will need to 'do' more to please it's insatiable desire of being good enough.  It is never pleased, never satisfied, never let's you rest, never let's you fully trust and makes your soul weary.
I want to tell you, please, please (and I am also speaking to myself), put the 'god of me' in his rightful place. There was never more a threat to you.  You were created for a purpose. You were wonderfully and fearfully made and His works are wonderful! (Psalm 139:14)  The Lord will renew your strength. You will soar on wings like eagles. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not grow faint. (Isaiah 40:31) He can put a hedge around you and your household and everything you have.  He can bless the work of your hands (Job 1:10) There is a place that He has prepared for us to spend eternity. Heaven is real. (John 14:2)  We can decide if we would like to spend it with the 'god of me' who can offer us and promise us nothing but fear (Matt 10:28) or if we will spend eternity with the unimaginably awesome, powerful, God of unconditional love that promises us eternity in His presence,  living forever with one who loves us with an everlasting, unfailing love (Jeremiah 31:3).  So loving, that He bids us the choice, and lights the path with neon signs flashing, of the way to Him.
-M.J.

Dear God,
Hear my sincere prayer this morning.  Please forgive me for putting other gods before you, including the 'god of me'. I know that you love me with a perfect love.  I know I have sinned and I am guilty of that and deserve what I have earned.  I know that in your perfect love and mercy that you sent your Son to die for the justice that I deserved.  I know that you have continued to love me with an everlasting love and I accept your Son, Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  I know that He is whether or not I accept Him.  He saved me and died on the cross for me, that is a fact no one can change.  I do accept that and ask that His Holy spirit come into my life and help me to live a life pleasing to Him and to help me to be all that God created me to be. Help me to die daily to 'god of me' and hold you, the God of all creation in your rightful place in my life.  I am grateful to be able to speak to you through the blessed name of your Son, Jesus.   Amen.