Creator v. Creation

Romans 1

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

This entire passage speak to me as I am a worshipper of Idols. I think that I know God but won’t give him thanks for all of my accomplishments. Getting into Georgia Tech, that was my doing – I played football and worked my hardest to have successful seasons. I earned my role as a captain and leader on the team both my Junior and Senior years. I never trusted in the Lord that I would get into school and be able to have the opportunity for a great education. Rather I trusted in my own ability to produce grades, accolades, sport awards, ect. I am now learning that I have never truly had to trust in the Lord with anything in my life. Thus I have never truly worshiped the Lord because I have not been giving him thanks for the blessings he has bestowed upon me. I had everything accounted for in my life, everything could be traced back to something of my production. Therefore my mind has been darkened and confused as to who this Lord is and how to even trust in his almighty power.

22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

Being a fool I run to false idols and worship them with everything I am. I idolize success and run head long at an opportunity that I can find satisfaction is my success. While in high school I could succeed in school and find “joy” in that accomplishment. I idolize social acceptance, I run to social networks, texts, emails, ect to find joy in the fact that I have friends who “care” about me. I am jealous of people who are very comfortable in social settings and envious of their “cool” factor. I make idols out of the Lords creation, the female figure is an amazing product of the hand of the Lord. Way to many time than I can count I run to that figure to find joy, satisfaction, happiness. And time after time I am left lacking joy, satisfaction, and happiness. As a human race we all to often worship the amazing creation of the Lord while neglecting to worship the creator.

I need to trust in the Lord to continue to transform the new heart that he has placed within me to worship him and not the products of power.

All is Great in the Lord

Paul Shackelford

"WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT THE CREATION"

ps. I have bad grammar and lots of typos – its just a fact!

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Letters from Lilongwe

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