Show Me the Money

Psalm 86:8-13

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2086%3A8-13&version=ESV;TLB

  

In the movie Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise plays a sports agent who is restarting his career based on idealistic principles that downplay the almighty dollar and promote relationships. The only problem is that the athletes are looking for the money. In an iconic scene, Cuba Gooding Jr, who plays a NFL football player, gets Cruise to scream into his phone, “SHOW ME THE MONEY”!

 

As important as money is, most of us don’t have visions of becoming rich and famous, but we do want enough money to live comfortably and to enjoy the pleasures of life. However, even such benign motivations can lead to creating our own gods; to creating idols that we worship with our time, talents and treasure.

 

⁸ Where among the heathen gods is there a god like you?

Where are their miracles?             TLB

 

When David wrote these words, he probably didn’t have money in mind. He might have been thinking of Baal or Ashtoreth or Dagon or Molech. Or, he may even have been

thinking of how he made Bathsheba his god and the pain that it caused.

 

In verse 8, The Living Bible asks us a penetrating question that actually points out the deficiency of manmade gods. Yet our nature pushes us to other gods; pushes us to find other objects of worship; pushes us to try to find meaning in life outside of the true God. We can’t help ourselves; but He can, He has and He does.

 

¹⁰ For you are great and do great miracles. You alone are God. ¹¹ Tell me where you want me to go and I will go there. May every fiber of my being unite in reverence to your name. ¹² With all my heart I will praise you. I will give glory to your name forever, ¹³ for you love me so much! You are constantly so kind! You have rescued me from deepest hell.         TLB

 

Let us respond to the Living God, the only God, as David did; by following Him

wherever He leads; by worshiping Him with every fiber of our being; by praising Him with all our heart and giving Him all the glory.

 

“SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!” It was a funny scene in an entertaining movie, but so hollow compared to the one true God.

 

(If God has spoken to you through this blog, please feel free to share the link with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

Today's passage is a twofer. That is two for the price of one. Enjoy.

 

 

 

The god of Our Own Creation

Revelation 1:12-20

 

 

In Columbus, Ohio, and throughout the Buckeye nation, if you are an Ohio State football player, you are idolized; and on Saturdays, you are worshiped. When the Shoe is filled with over 106,000 rabid fans; when TBDBITL forms Script Ohio; when the Buckeyes score their first touchdown; the god of football is in its throne.

 

As humans, we tend to put many things ahead of God in our life; we tend to make idols; to make a god of our own creation. People have made idols since the beginning of time. Isaiah wrote this about carpenters who made idols:

 

¹⁶ Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” ¹⁷ From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”         Isaiah 44:16-17 NIV

 

We may not make our idols out of wood or stone or gold or silver; but don’t ever doubt

that we still make idols. It could be football, work, family, church or addictions like drugs, alcohol, gambling and sex. The potential list is endless. The difference between these idols, or gods, and Jesus is that He is the Living One.

 

“Only God can do the impossible and bring life from nonlife. Just as He breathed human life into the dust of the ground in Genesis, so also He conceived life in a virgin’s womb”. (From Today in the Word devotional.)

 

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.            Revelation 1:17-18 NIV

 

What god of our own creation can do this? Only Jesus, the Living One, can reach out and touch our heart to draw us to him; to mold and shape us; to lead and guide us; to give us strength to face our daily challenges. Only Jesus can. Therefore, “Do not be afraid”.