Verses from Exodus

““除我以外，你不可有别的神。“不可为自己做偶像，也不可做天上、地下和地底下水中各物的形象。不可跪拜它们，也不可事奉它们，因为我耶和华你们的神是忌邪的神；恨恶我的，我必追讨他们的罪，从父亲到儿子，直到三四代。爱我和遵守我诫命的，我必向他们施慈爱，直到千代。”

出埃及记 20:3-6

““You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Exodus 20:3-6

Alicia Keys has a song called, “No One.” In the chorus, Alicia says, “No one can get in the way of what I feel for you.” She was talking about a relationship with a beau, but imagine if we apply that principle to our relationship with Christ. No one can get in the way of what I feel for You, Jesus. 

It was God’s intention all along that we put Him first. When the Israelites received the Ten Commandments from God, putting no one higher than God was right at the top of the list. Not only that, but God was kind enough to explain Himself. He says, “for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:5). 

Now, let’s not get this twisted, there is nothing we could possibly have on earth that is better than God, so there is nothing that we love for which He has envy or wishes He had, like we do when we are jealous. I believe God is saying, “I have done so much for you, but you choose to put other things before me or give yourselves and other people the glory for it, and that makes Me angry.” 

And, He let the Israelites know the consequences of that anger in the command; punishment for those who hate Him, and love for those who keep His commands. If you read the Old Testament, you will see that every time God blesses Israel, they shift their focus away to something or someone else, never fully giving God their attention. 

We might probably start thinking, How could they treat God that way? But, before we go criticizing, we must take a good hard look in the mirror. See, the Israelites were exhibiting this behavior and it was deplorable, but they did not have the 66 books of the Bible like we do. Yet, we often treat God like an afterthought, unless, of course, we need something. 

God does not want our focus because He is some brutish, jealous titan. If you take a few moments to recognize God’s blessings in your life, how could you not fall in love with Him? He simply wants your love and your focus, so that He can give you the life He has planned for you; your best life. Allow Him to be first always.