As we are about to usher in the new year, I would like to share something with you that ought to help you introspect and hopefully make better decisions for your walk with God in the new year.
The book of 1 Samuel 5 tells a very interesting story. It begins after the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines to Ashdod. Please read the whole chapter for better context and understanding.
1 Samuel 5 - 1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.
For your understanding, Dagon, was an idol/a god that the Philistines worshipped. it is said that this god was half fish and half man and had a whole temple dedicated to him.
The biggest mistake began for the Philistines when they decided to take the ark of the Covenant which, was a symbol of the presence of God and they put it in a temple of an idol. They even went as far as putting the ark of the covenant right next to this Dagon statue as though the God of Israel and Dagon were on the same level.
As I read this, it became apparent to me that we are not too different from the Philistines. We as Christians have a tendency of making God and our idols equal.
When we fail to esteem God and place Him in His rightful position in our lives, those things we esteem higher than Him become our mini god's/our idols. I write this not to point out the obvious of idolatry but to show you the dangers of esteeming idols above God.
Dagon was the god of fertility, abundance and prosperity.
Much like the Philistines, we recognize the power of the God of Israel but we refuse to let go of the idols we have created for ourselves. We have made idols of our desire for abundance, prosperity, fertility, marriage, academic validations the list goes on and on. We make these desires that we take precedent and we neglect God.
How do we know that they have become idols to us? We pursue them more than we pursue God. We use most of our energy in pursuit of these things and we give them our best but when it's time to pursue God, we come with a lackluster approach. We lack zeal, passion and energy in our pursuit of God but the idols will get the best parts of us.
Now think about this. From the God you claim you love and say is your Lord and Saviour you give the remnants of yourself, the tired prayers, the uninspired devotion but from Him you expect the best of blessings and favour...
As in the story in 1 Samuel 5, if we esteem our idols above God they will fall, much like Dagon. What I mean by this, is that we will be surprised why things are not working out as we pursue them. We would be pouring out all energy into them but it feels like the results are not equivalent to the work put in. That could be a sign that your idols and desires are being brought low by God. To show you that you're nothing without Him. Dagon fell twice and each time he fell before the ark of the covenant, which shows us that all idols will be destroyed before God.
As the year ends (it's literally the last day of the year) please take the time to ask yourself the hard questions and see what you have esteemed higher than God in your life. Going into 2025, we should be seeking first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). And all these things that we so desire, we should submit them to Him and if they are in his will for us, He will bring them to pass for us.
I pray nothing but God's best for you in the new year.
Love
Misha L
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