May 4

Morning

Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods! — Jer 16:20 BSB

One of ancient Israel’s great sins was idolatry, and we, the spiritual Israel, are often plagued by the same folly! We no longer bow down to idols of wood and stone, but Mammon still thrusts his golden calf before us, and the altars of pride are still raised in our hearts. Self, in many forms, strives to subdue us, and our flesh sets up altars wherever it can.

Even our children, precious as they are, can lead us into sin if we place them above God. The Lord is grieved when He sees us doting on them excessively. They may become as much of a curse to us as Absalom was to David, or they may be taken from us, leaving our homes empty and desolate. If Christians want to fill their pillows with thorns, they need only to idolize their children!

It’s true, “they are not gods,” for the objects of our foolish devotion are uncertain blessings. The comfort they give now may be dangerous, and the help they provide in times of trouble may be little indeed.

Why, then, are we so captivated by these vanities? We pity the heathen who worship gods of stone, yet we ourselves worship gods of gold! What’s the difference between bowing to a god of flesh or a god of wood? The principle, the sin, and the folly are the same. In fact, in our case, the offense is even worse because we sin with the knowledge of God’s truth. The heathen worship false gods because they don’t know the true God, but we commit two evils: we forsake the living God and turn to idols. May the Lord cleanse us from this grievous sin!

“The dearest idol I have known,
Whatever that idol be;
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee!”

Evening

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. — 1 Pet 1:23 BSB

The apostle Peter earnestly encouraged the scattered saints to love one another “with a pure heart, fervently.” He wisely based his argument, not on the law, nature, or philosophy, but on the divine nature that God has implanted in His people. Just as a tutor of princes might foster in them a kingly spirit and dignified behavior by reminding them of their royal birth and heritage, so Peter reminds God’s people of their noble standing. We are heirs of glory, descendants of the King of kings, members of the truest and oldest royal family on earth. Peter says, in effect, “Love one another because of your noble birth—you have been born again of imperishable seed. Love because of your divine lineage, for you are children of God, the Creator of all things. And love because of your immortal destiny, for while the glory of the flesh fades, your inheritance will never perish.”

How fitting it would be if, in the spirit of humility, we recognized the true dignity of our reborn nature and lived up to it! What is a Christian? Compared to a king, a Christian possesses not only royal dignity but also priestly sanctity. The royalty of an earthly king may rest only in his crown, but the Christian’s royalty is infused into his very being. He stands far above the rest of humanity because of his new birth, just as a human is far above a mere animal. Surely, then, a Christian ought to live and act differently from the rest of the world. He is not one of the crowd but is chosen out of the world by sovereign grace. He is a member of “a people belonging to God.” He should not grovel in the dust like others or live as a citizen of this world.

Let the dignity of your nature and the brightness of your future, O believer, motivate you to pursue holiness and avoid even the appearance of evil.