It’s Spring Break and I am here in Cancun, Mexico. There is nothing better than walking on a beach with crystal clear water pushing waves slowly up on to the shore. Especially in the morning or early evening when the beach is less crowded and you have an appointment all alone with God.
I started off this morning with my verse of the day on my phone. I woke up reading Psalm 16.
Little did I know I would encounter a “God Wink” on my morning walk. That’s just a circumstance where God interjects himself ever so gently to remind you that He really is there with you and you both acknowledges it.
On my morning walk to the beach I glanced over to a wall I passed and there he was all alone. Still as a statue and stoic. He caught my attention today. I didn’t notice him yesterday when I strolled by him. He appeared to have someone sitting on his head.
I can’t believe I didn’t see him yesterday!
He was that odd. I should be used to seeing these little idols scattered around staring at you everywhere you turn.
This is what I had read right before I left to go on my walk.
Psalm 16 with emphasis on verse four.
There are multiple messages in this chapter.
Psalm 16
A Psalm of David
1 Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
3 The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.
5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
7 I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
It was as if this guy yelled out to me, “Hey, look at me you are passing through my domain.” I snapped a picture of him and walked on to my beach chair.
This whole resort is decorated with ancient relics and idols from the Mexican culture. I was thinking to myself this week how silly it is to put all your hope and worship into a plastic or wooden idol. I was reminded of this every time we used our restroom in our room. There is a naked lady with a big belly hovering over our toilet on the wall. My guess is she represents fertility due to her enlarged belly or she just had too much to eat like me on this trip.
So as I was “judging” these poor people from long ago who put their trust in cement idols…. God stopped me in my sand tracks!!
“Thou shall have no other gods before me.”
This commandment popped in my head and I was reminded that we all can put things above God.
I was included in that we.
I think if we are truly honest with ourselves we are all guilty. Our idols may not be wooden with big bellies or have small people perched on their heads. We put other things and people above God or in place of God. Sometimes they are things that are good and great gifts that God has given us. We just forget who gave them to us and who deserves our thanks and worship. When we put God first and smash all our other “idols” we make a way for God to draw us into relationship with Him.
It satisfies our soul and it allow all the things in our life to be balanced. We must be intentional with this act and place God on the top of our wall of our head and heart as we walk out each day.
Let’s knock Humpty Dumpty off on the wall and look to the one true God who made it all.
Lord, please forgive me for placing things and people above your worship and attention. I acknowledge that you are my Creator and that all good and perfect things come down from you, The Father of Lights!
Worship On,
Kelley Allison
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
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