Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

God's handiwork

Friday, February 29, 2008

Mark 12:28-31
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?"

Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."

Hosea 14:3
We shall say no more, 'Our god,' to the work of our hands.

The last verse of Psalm 90 brings tears to my eyes: "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands" (NIV). I pray this prayer, knowing God's touch on my work is the only thing that gives it value.

But like the Israelites of Hosea's day, I forget so quickly. My pride rises up in fire and smoke. The gratitude I give to God gets lost in the heavy-handed credit I give myself or receive from others.

Idolatry is a subtle, quiet disease of my soul. It comes and goes. I catch it often and seek God's forgiveness. Of course he gives it to me. But something popped out of the juxtaposition of these verses today from Hosea and Mark that helps me reframe the problem.

The "work of my hands" can be touched, counted, held ... it's a thing. Jesus points me in the opposite direction. I don't need to love a thing ... it can't even give love back to me. Jesus tells me to put my energy into loving God. Love God, love your neighbor. And watch the way energy and joy flow back and forth between you forever.

Tolkien's character Gollum loved his ring. He couldn't let it go. He grew to hate everything and everyone because he had to protect his ring. That doesn't happen, ever, when I do it Jesus' way.

Nothing matters but You, Lord, and other people. Everything else is dust.

Devotions Archive

God's handiwork

Friday, February 29, 2008