"God" or "god"?
No doubt we've all seen the impact of the passing of the Queen over the past week. From all accounts, she was a person who was committed to serving people. he gave her life to serve in a very public role. I doubt many of us would enjoy living in that fishbowl for 96 years! She was an extraordinary woman with an extraordinary commitment to her office as Queen. And what did that mean? It meant, for her, a great cost.
It costs us to commit. It costs us to serve.
In Acts 19, the preaching of Jesus by Paul was costing local businesses! Through the gospel, people were putting aside their false "gods" and replacing them with the one true God.
Acts 19:23-29
23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”28When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together.
Demetrius wanted to protect his business of making hand-made "gods" to worship the false god Artemis. Was he concerned over the honour of Artemis, or was he concerned for his business?!
(In the end, the riot subsides as the city clerk (verse 35) convinces people that they should take the matter to court if they have a problem.)
For many in those days, and even today, following Jesus meant putting aside the false gods they had followed their whole life. For Demetrius, it would have meant giving up his whole business, which he was not willing to do.
What does it mean for you?
What is the cost for you following Jesus? What are your false "gods"? False gods are not just statues or images. They can be the gods of wealth, fame or pleasure. They can be the gods of career or worldly success. It may cost us greatly to lay down these gods. But we must. We must count the cost and prepare to lay down the false gods that prevent us from following Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Are there false gods in your life today, that you can lay aside for the one true God?
Prayer
Father of all, help me to trust in you. Help me to see the false gods in my life that prevent me from worshipping you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. And I pray for others for whom following Jesus comes at great personal cost and worldly loss.
May we all know the true riches of following you each day - riches that are given to us today and in eternity, beyond this world.
Amen.