You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:3-6
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Exodus 20:3 is the first of the Ten Commandments.
It is always helpful to see that God’s instructions are more than commands to follow; they also serve as an invitation to something greater.
And the same is true with Exodus 20:3. The very first commandment becomes an even more powerful invitation upon our lives when we consider the reality that our lives will never become greater than that which we choose to worship.
If we choose to worship the world’s offer of money and riches, we will never become greater than our bank accounts or the dollars we store up.
If we choose to worship at the altar of power, we will never become greater than the size of their personal kingdom.
If we choose to worship popularity, we will never become greater than the reach of our fleeting reputation.
If we choose to worship worldly pleasure, our lives will never become greater than the momentary feelings we experience in the moment.
But those who choose to worship an infinite God find opportunity for infinite worth!
Maybe that is why God started with worship as He began His list of commandments:
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
In God’s command to worship Him alone, we are invited to a life of infinite worth. We are invited to pursue and lay down our lives at the feet of a holy, eternal God. We are invited to invest our lives into blessings of infinite value and into a Kingdom that will last forever.
In keeping God’s command to worship Him alone, we live lives that far outweigh ourselves.
What an amazing opportunity available to each of us—right now, today!
So, how are you doing in keeping the first commandment? Are you keeping the worship of God first in your life above everything else? Few of us in 21st-century America struggle with the worship of graven images. Instead, our trappings have become far more subtle. We worship money, possessions, leisure, entertainment, popularity, power, and reputations.
As the Ezekiel pointed out, “we have set up idols in our hearts.”
God’s commandment to worship Him alone is a blessing of infinite worth. In fact, Jesus paid an infinite price just to make it possible.
We would be wise to not skip over this invitation—but evaluate our alignment with it each and every day.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your commandment to worship you alone. Reveal to me any idols I have set up in my heart so that I may keep you first in my affections each day. Thank you, Jesus, for making this possible through your sacrifice. Amen.