I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

1 King 12. “Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.’ Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt'” (Verses 25-28). He built an idol for the people to worship in order to distract them from worshiping God. Sound familiar? That is the world we live in, filled with idols to distract us and keep us away from a relationship with God. The lie is subtle, Jeroboam’s excuse, “it’s too far to travel to worship, so just worship this instead.” The excuse today, “I can worship God anywhere… God is in everything…” So we worship every and anything, except God. Beware today the lies are subtle and feel so right, but they are designed to keep you from where your heart really wants to be, in the presence of God.