Psalm 4:2 “How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?”
[It is the nature of human beings to worship, and you, Lord God, are the only One worthy of such adoration, honor and obedience.
Yet we so often leave your glory to worship the tinsel and lights of this world: shiny new cars, flashy new electronics, exciting sports events, absorbing work, stimulating relationships, a focus on food, the slippery slope of sensuality, or the latest electrifying entertainment.
The wrongness in this is that we seek our fulfillment, our excitement, our security, our significance in these things. We worship them as our idols, meaning we demand these things to be happy. I get so absorbed in a project that I will snap at anyone who interrupts me. I focus on the feeling of accomplishment, not on my fellow followers.
In seeking elsewhere for what only you can give, we turn our backs on you, shaming you, who are the Creator and Source of all, the Provider of the possibility of these momentary pleasures. We willfully forget that it is you alone who are Eternal, it is you alone who are Almighty, it is you alone who hold time in your hand, who sets up and takes down kings, who breathes out stars and fills the heavens.
You alone are the glorious One to be worshiped, adored, exalted and obeyed, yet we let the momentum of the moment divert us away from your majesty to focus on the microscopic. Forgive us, Lord, lift our eyes to your greatness and free us from our idol worship.]
“Selah”
[which can mean, “Think on this.” Lord, to think on you, to lift up your name, to look on your glory–this is the purpose for which we were created. But in our twisted state, even as believers, we turn from you to the physical world for our gratification, strength and significance.
Forgive us for our rebellion against Truth, for our rejection of your Reality, for our regression to idols, for our repetition of Israel’s sins, for our return to the repulsive ways of our natural selves. It is the nature of our fallenness to worship what makes us happy, instead of you, who desires to give us all joy and peace, you who are the actual source of all goodness, righteousness and truth.
Help us to deny self, to let go of our natural tendencies, to hold on to you and fall at your feet in obedience and worship. Help us to live in praise for your great faithfulness and love, whether we are in pleasure or pain, goodness or grief, happiness or heaviness.
Glorify yourself in our lives today, Lord. We bow before you as your unworthy servants, as your redeemed and beloved children, as your dearly loved family. May the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths be pleasing in your sight today, O Lord, our mighty Rock and Redeemer.]
