email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

May 18, 2018

1 Samuel 5:1-4

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

New International Version (NIV)

               What do you do with a god? When the Philistines captured the Ark of God, Eli’s corrupt sons and Eli died and his daughter-in-law named her son Ichabod, “the glory of the Lord has departed from Israel.” Since they thought they had God in a box, the Philistines tried to figure out where to put him.

               “Socks go in the sock drawer,” Melanie and I told our sons (and Melanie tells me). “Gods go in temples,” reasoned the Philistines. So they put the Ark in with their fish-face god Dagon. This did not work out so well for Dagon. The Philistine idol seems to have lost his balance in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. Twice he fell, losing his head and hands the second time.

                In worship, Gardner Taylor once said, “We bring the gods we have made into the presence of the God who made us.” And we know how that goes. Like a children’s game we used to play, they all fall down.   The presence of the living God reveals the impotence of all of our idols. We are forced to answer the question, “What will we do with God.” Worship him alone.

Pray the words of a hymn with me:

Father, “the dearest idol we have made whatever that idol be, help us to tear it from thy throne and worship only Thee.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story. With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
Joyfully,
Duane

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