Genesis 35:4 They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they’d been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem.
Lessons for Living Today:
Most buried treasure was buried for safety.
Not so this treasure. It was buried to show God they were through with it and wanted it gone, gone, gone from sight. So what’s the big deal with a few statues and some lucky-charm earrings? With God it is the same as bringing a mistress home to live with you and your wife. A divided heart destroys the marriage and a divided allegiance destroys one’s relationship with God.
Everything God does is for the purpose of blessing our lives. He knows the devastation an undivided heart brings. Our undivided devotion to the God of the Bible brings all other areas of our lives into unity. Idols and lucky charms divert our attention and cause us to waste energy. They are also a chink in our armor that gives Satan an entry way into our heart. While it seems so innocent to us Satan uses every opportunity to turn our hearts away from God.
Now we may feel “off the hook” because we hoard no idols nor wear any lucky-charm earrings. But there are other seemingly more innocent things that divert our attention from God. Hobbies may become our idols or simple pastimes that eat up time but leave God out of the activity. Now a person has to work and that takes a large chunk of our time. But there are many ways we can take God to work with us. Are we His ambassador at work? Loving others, showing kindness, helpfulness, patience, being a peacemaker, gentle, or forgiving are the attributes of God’s ambassadors. Lord, help me bury anything I treasure that takes away from my devotion to You.
God’s Question: Have any treasures you need to bury?
God’s Promise: You are my treasured possession.
My Prayer to God:
I praise You that You value my relationship with You.
I am sorry it is so easy to get distracted by the world’s trinkets.
Thank You for the wonderful treasure I have found in You.
Help me share the treasure I have found far and wide.
Ellen's Little Visits With God 