The Golden Calf

CONFESSION:
Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father!

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” - “Exodus 20:4-6

Father, You are so gracious to us.  This morning You are bringing my sin to my attention.  Yet in Your love and mercy, You whisper Your rebuke instead of shouting it.  You show me where I have chosen to worship according to my likings, not according to Your commands.  I pick and choose which commands I will obey according to convenience and my comfort.  I worship, but often the worship I offer is obedience to commands that I have remodeled to fit my preferences, commands I have added of my own making, while other of Your commands I omit altogether, because they don’t fit my schedule or are uncomfortable or inconvenient.  I trust in Your grace and mercy to cover me as I worship the god whose commands I obey - the god that looks more like a golden calf than the invisible, Great I Am.  “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?” - Romans 6:1.  I was bought with a price (I Cor 6:20), so my life is not my own to do with as I wish.  I was a slave to sin, now I am a slave of Christ Jesus.

Father, break down my walls.  Rebuild my foundation.  Take me back to the most elementary of teachings, that I would not only know, but obey Your commands.  Your Ten Commandments were given out of love and were a covenant between us.  They pattern a way of living that leads to blessing.  We broke the covenant, so You sent Jesus.  We have a new covenant by the Blood.  Your grace does indeed cover every sin, but Your will is still that we would live as You told us to live.  Our lives will be blessed when we do.

Father, I lift my friend before You.  We praise, thank and worship You for Your grace, mercy and forgiveness.  Help us to not harden our hearts when we feel the twinge of conviction.  Show us how to embrace the love that draws our hearts through conviction, and not condemnation.  Teach us to love and worship You the way that You want to be loved and worshipped, not out of fear of damnation that was covered by the Blood, but out of love, desire to please You and desire that our lives might be blessed.  Help us to obey Your every command, not just the easy or comfortable ones - even when it is unpopular, even when we are judged by others or misunderstood and even if we are the only one who does.  May we choose to love You above all others, placing Your will above that of any other, and even our own.  Holy Spirit, ignite the fire of our obedience.  Burn brightly in our hearts, melting away the golden calves.  And may our lives be led as worship unto the one true God.  In Jesus Name ❤️

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