Other Gods

https://odb.org/MY/2022/04/29/spiritual-diagnosis

Some of us may have a tried and tested method of a past formula or a past practice that had brought us good results in the past. Maybe it brought us a better well being or prosperity or good business or career prospects and promotion. Since accepting Christ, things have not become better and better but due to the recent Covid pandemic, our situation may have become worse. We know that it has nothing to do with our decision to accept Christ or to give our lives to Him as the pandemic had far reaching consequences and affected nearly everyone, one way or another. And yet we are tempted to go back to our old ways, our past formula, our past practice. In the hope that there may be a change in our circumstance – desperate times require desperate measures.

The people of Judah during Jeremiah’s time did exactly that. They burned incense and gave offerings to the gods of Egypt, the Queen of Heaven (possibly, Isthar) and other pagan gods in clear defiance to the warnings from His prophet Jeremiah. But their situation turned worse because the LORD deserted them and allowed calamity to befall them.

In the modern day context, perhaps, we have gone on to try to adopt Feng Shui guidances. Or have looked into some new age practices, going into crystals and other stuff. Rationalising that all these are natural phenomenon, are faith neutral and thus do not compromise our faith.

The truth of the matter is that it was never a question of whether something else is of another faith or doesn’t bring us into another spiritual dimension or is part of nature. It is instead always a question of where does my help come from? Is it the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth? Are we relying on the One who watches over Israel, who neither slumber nor sleep and thus the sun will not harm us by day nor the moon by night? See Psalm 121.

Desperate times require desperate measures. If we are in a really bad situation, desperately reach out to Christ. He will surely hear us and help us. Don’t ever turn to other gods or other questionable practices especially those with a spiritual slant. Ultimately why lose our soul for temporal relief when we know very well that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance produces character? Let God be God in our lives, let Him truly be our God, our shelter, our stronghold and fortress. Let there be none other than Him in our lives!