My son told me a story today of a basketball player who refused a cazillion $ Nike shoe deal because he couldn’t use the verse, “I can do all things…” He did eventually secure a super successful deal with Under Armor, however, who let him use the phrase!
When my son finished the story with, “And EVERY time he makes a shot, he taps his chest & points to God”, tears immediately began to fall.
What if we all worshipped God like that, letting the gifts OF God glorify Him instead of USING His gifts as self-serving gods?
I’d just finished reading about the Israelites’ wandering hearts. Aside from a few prophets, the entire nation turns from God to worship other gods.
The prophet Elijah rebukes them, saying,
“How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions?
If the Lord is God, follow Him.
But if Baal is God, then follow Him!”
But the people remain completely silent.
When he challenges them to prove who the true God is, however, they suddenly find their voices & begin shouting & “hobbling” before their gods, begging them to set their altar afire! But in the same way they stood deaf, dumb & silent before God’s prophet, “there’s no sound or response of any kind.”
The word “hobble” means to leap. The prophet asks how long they’ll continue to spiritually hobble, leaping back & forth between their gods & the One True God, yet they remain silent JUST LIKE the gods they serve! Then they PHYSICALLY hobble before their silent saviors!
Psalm 135 tells us that those who make idols are just like them, as are ALL who trust in them! They have mouths but can’t speak, eyes but can’t see & ears but can’t hear!
Y’all, Steph Curry could’ve gone with the Nike shoe deal, but he would’ve missed out on the much more God had in store! Today he’s the leading NBA 3-point shooter of all time! His team is currently in the playoffs & he just became the ONLY player in NBA history to make 500 career playoff threes! Come on!
Oh, God, may we be like Steph & use our gifts to glorify You ONLY! Make us deaf, dumb & blind to the temptation to let those gifts become gods! We call on You to use our gifts for your glory, even when it doesn’t make sense!
1 KINGS 18:1-46
ACTS 11:1-30
PSALM 135:1-21
PROVERBS 17:12-13
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