The Bible doesn't pretend there aren't other "gods." Those ancient writers knew better. Instead of ignoring them, scripture sometimes names them. And it's good for us to learn to do the same.
Psalm 16 starts with a pretty bold statement. "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." That sounds like an affirmation of faith. In some ways, it is. But it's also a statement of direction.
God's Spirit knows how easily our hearts attach themselves to other things that promise life. Security, success, control, or approval rank high on our lists. They may not be real in the way we sense that the Lord is real, but they are real in the way they shape us.
"They who chose another god multiply their sorrows," the psalmist says. If there are no other gods, discipleship isn’t that important.
Those sorrows the psalmist speaks of come because those other gods cannot fulfill what they promise. Every god carries a way of life with it. Some lead us into striving, always needing more. Some into fear, always over-protecting what we have. Some into comparison, always measuring our worth against someone else.
And then there is the Lord.
"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup...you show me the path of life."
To choose God is to choose a different way of being in the world. A life not built on chasing or proving, but on receiving and being. A life rooted in presence, where joy is not something we manufacture but something we discover in the nearness of God.
So, this is not just about what we say we believe. It's about what we trust enough to follow. Because we are always choosing.
The God revealed in Psalm 16, though, is not just another option among many. The Lord is the only one who leads to life.
Stay blessed...john
Comments