Rooted in Truth: A Devotion in the Ten CommandmentsSample

Right Worship

For Instruction

In the ancient world people would make a physical representation of their god and worship it. Yahweh is invisible in His nature (Rom 1:20) and so He has commanded His people not to make images that represent either Him or any other god. This commandment is grounded in the jealousy of God. It would be easy but also wrong to take this in a petty sense. God is not jealous in a mean or negatively possessive way. He is rightly jealous for the affections of His people (James 4:5).

For Giving Thanks

If God had not redeemed us, we would still be worshiping idols (1 Pet 1:18). Indeed, because Jesus has come to redeem us and turn us to the true God, He has made a way for us to turn away from all idols and serve the living God (1 Thess 1:9). The only response to God's clear invitation to us is thanksgiving. Martin Luther exclaims: "How could we ever--in all eternity--thank him enough!" Indeed.

For Confession

We need to confess our many idolatries (Luther). We might be tempted here to think that we are okay because we have not bowed down to a graven image this week, but idolatry is not just limited to the external worship of false gods and/or idols, but goes to the very depths of the values of our hearts. This is why the New Testament classifies covetousness as a form of idolatry (Col 3:5).

God tells us not to worship images. As Al Mohler has pointed out, God has given us the perfect image of himself in the person of His Son (Col. 1:15). Ron Mehl reminds us that "The clear fact is, we become like that which we worship" and that "the only image that's important to have stamped on your heart is the image of Jesus Christ." Let us confess the ways that our hearts have been conformed to things other than Jesus.

For Prayer

Lord God, you are the invisible, true God (1 Tim 1:17) and I worship you by your Spirit and in your truth. Please root out of me any false images of you and may I have a true conception of who you are by contemplating your perfect image as reflected in Jesus Christ.