Turn back to God

"'You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3 NIV

The New York Times recently published an article subtitled, "With gyms and pools closed and sports leagues shut down, a miniboom is emerging in running, a natural for social distancing." The writer went on to say, "With little else to do - no spinning classes, lap swim hours, boot camps or barre - a lot of people are turning to (or getting back to) running. It’s the perfect sport for a pandemic. All you need is a pair of shoes and a six-foot buffer from the next person." Thankfully, in the midst of this pandemic, I have seen another trend emerging, one that is much greater than running... people turning to (or getting back to) God. But it's really no surprise that it took something this drastic to cause this to happen. I mean with all the things people find to fill their lives with, the majority forgot about the most important thing in life... God. 

And you know, this isn't something new. Thousand of years ago, the Israelites worshiped many gods including the one true God. But the Lord made it clear that He was not to be included in the worship of other gods but was to be the only God they worshipped. In fact, God wanted it to be so clear that He made the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me." And while you may say, "Well I don't worship any other gods," consider this my friend. Money, fame, work, possessions, hobbies, sporting events, social gatherings, social media and relationships become our gods when we put them before the Lord and especially when we place our identity in them. 

So while the COVID-19 pandemic is without a doubt bringing with it despair and death, it’s also stripping away the many gods of this world - which is leading to millions upon millions of renewed and restored relationships with the one true God. And for that, may you and I praise the God who always brings good out of bad situations as we pray for those affected by it. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being so patient with us. Like a parent who has tried to get our attention over and over, You did not punish us as we deserved for ignoring You. Lord if there are any gods that have come between us, please reveal them to us that we might turn away from them to have a restored and right relationship with You. And Father, we pray that millions of lost people would seek You and find You as a result of this virus. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Give us clean hands - Shane and Shane