Faith Capsule: A failure to give God all the attention could be an avenue unto self-destruction.

Isaiah 45

Paying close attention to the first half of the Ten Commandments actually reveal how much attention God demands from His creation. God stated, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”(Exodus 20:3-8) This portion of the commandments is about giving a jealous God all the attention that is due to Him. Indeed, a jealous God demands full attention. A failure to give God all the attention could be an avenue unto self-destruction. God is God that cannot survive where there is no attention given to Him. As a creation in the hand of God, what stops you from giving unto God consistent attention? God jealously yearns for our attention and He communicates this all through the pages of the Bible. He spoke in Isaiah 45:4-7 about His desire for us to know Him as the one and only Lord; to know that there is none besides Him. Every attribute of a jealous one is inhabited in God. Therefore, every way of giving Him attention is worth giving it. In His commandment, He did not ask for too much or for what we cannot do to give Him due attention. He is a good God who cares for His children and He expects His children to care for Him by constantly and diligently seeking Him. Are you giving Him attention only by mouth? Attending to Him just by mouth is not enough, but serving Him indeed and in truth is all that it takes to give and get His attention. Get a clear understanding in the Word, especially in the season we are now living because it is dangerous and risky not to be giving God His due attention. God spoke in Isaiah 45:7, “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.” Is that not scary enough to make you want to be on the Lord’s side? Isaiah 45:9, “Woe to him who strive with his Maker…” Denying Him His due attention is striving with Him.

Prayer for today: Lord I ask that You deliver me from every kind of spirit that takes away man’s attention from Your holy name.