Daily Devotion: Aim for God's Blessings

Scripture:
Exodus 20: 5-6
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Observation:
When the Ten Commandments were written, the first four were all about not worshipping and not having any other gods except the Lord our God. The Lord's command was clear: "You shall not have other gods before me." The use of the word "shall" meant we are obliged to worship only the Lord, because in v. 5 He mentions that he is a jealous God. Imagine what your wife or husband would feel if you turned your 100% attention to someone else. Wouldn't he or she feel jealous or even mad? In the same way, the Lord hates it when we pay more attention to someone or something else other than Him. In his anger, God will punish a person's sons and daughters up to the fourth generation for not worshipping the only God. I do not even want to imagine His wrath!

But God pours out His blessings upon those who truly worship Him, the only one true God. He hates those who hate him, but to those who love him, He will show his love to A THOUSAND GENERATIONS!

Application:
Too often, our attention is focused on people or things that do not show our love for the Lord. Do we spend more time idolizing celebrities and people who have become successful? When we wake up in the morning, do we first check our cellphones for any notifications from social media instead of spending time to quietly praise the Lord for another day? Do we love our family, career, and possessions more than God? Would you want to be cursed for not worshiping God, or would you rather be blessed for having him as Number One and Only One in your life?

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me during those times that I failed to prioritize you, and for paying more attention to the things of this world. My heart seeks to love you and worship you alone. Amen.