Putting God First

Readings:
I Chronicles 21
Acts 12:18-25

Focus:
Acts 12:23a: "Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he had usurped the honor due to God."

Throughout the Bible, the worst sin of all is the sin of counting oneself more important than God. In the story in I Chronicles 21, what makes God angry with King David is the fact that David takes a census to find out what his military strength might be. God wants David to rely instead on God himself for protection.

Israel is supposed to be different from the other countries because they derive their security not from armies, but from God. Yet David, normally a man after God's own heart, succumbs to military pride, views himself as the victorious leader of Israel, and takes a census to see just how vast his might is. He thinks of his own greatness instead of God's greatness.

Herod goes further and allows people to call him a god. This is of course far worse, and it results in his death.

In the 21st century we don't usually think of ourselves as gods. But we often think of ourselves before anything or anyone else, including God. It's the greatest sin I have to struggle with. And it's not trivial. God wants us to put him before everything, including before ourselves.

The best thing is that when we do that, God takes care of us and fills our cup of blessing to overflowing. David found that to be true, and I too have found that to be true, over and over again.