Time Out for God Devotional Ministry
By Danna Appleby
Rocked to Sleep
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. I Thess. 5:6
You will probably agree that the morality of our country is sliding downward at an ever increasing rate of speed. When I was thinking about the condition of our country, what we allow into our homes, what we do not recognize as “idols,” the obscenity and nudity on TV, these words came to me so clear: “rocked to sleep.” I believe the Lord is saying to us that we are being lulled into a deep sleep and are accepting everything that comes before us as being alright. We may be thinking because we’re living in the twenty-first century, that’s just the way it is and we must accept it because we can’t do anything about it anyway, but we do not.
There was a time when Christians were noticed by nonbelievers as a peculiar people. We’re to be a set apart group of people. Now, you can’t tell us from anyone else and many don’t act any different either. There was also a time when Christians would never watch some of the secular programming, but now do not even question it and accept it as being just fine. Are we being rocked to sleep?
I’m appalled at the nudity on the program, “Dancing With the Stars.”
I don’t watch it, but there are times commercials come across the screen
and the revealing attire is unbelievable. Nudity is becoming a normal thing
in our society and we as Christians must accept it as anything but normal and guard
ourselves from becoming lulled to sleep as
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
Even though I watch very little TV, last year I began watching a particular program and before long I was sucked into watching it every week. Before long I began to feel conviction and knew it was wrong for me if I was to please God. It came to me that it was taking a lot of time away from my study of the Word, spending time with the Lord and the things that “truly mattered.” Had it become an idol? If it had, I didn’t want any part of it! Anything or anyone we put before God is an idol and there are no two ways to look at it. Jehovah God gave us the Ten Commandments when He sent Moses on the mountain. The top commandment still stands today:
You shall have no other gods before me. Ex. 20:39
A few days after I sensed the phrase, “rocked to sleep,” I was praying about the condition of our nation when an old hymn rang in my mind: “Kneel at the Cross” (by Charles E. Moody). I pulled my hymnal off the shelf and looked in amazement at the last verse. We must not allow any other gods to take the place of the One true God, the Great I Am, our Creator.
Kneel at the cross, Give your idols up, Look unto realms above, Turn not away, To life’s sparkling cup, Trust only in His love.
Kneel at the cross, Leave every care, Kneel at the cross, Jesus will meet you there.
Prayer: Forgive us Father for placing many things before You, our God and our Lord. Forgive us for allowing anything or anyone to become an idol and for what we have allowed to take the place of You. O God, we are convicted and ask for Your forgiveness. Cleanse us and make us clean. Help us every day to live for You alone. Help us to be mindful that You are the One we need to look to and that we are to love and adore You with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our might. (Deu. 6:5) Thank You for forgiveness and mercy. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
|||