“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Ex. 20:3-6
Today’s Christian daily devotional
The lights in the theater dimmed as the crowd quieted to a low murmur. All eyes focused on the crimson velvet curtains in the center of the room. A single spotlight hit the middle of the stage. The hypnotic beat of Led Zeplin thumped through the speakers as a perfectly sculpted leg was thrust through the curtain. A glittery heel dangled at the end of it, like a shiny fishing lure.
All eyes watched as the curtain slowly pulled apart to reveal the curve of a beautiful thigh. Slowly, moving inch by inch, the curtain revealed a bit more. A tight torso peaked through the velvet drapes. They eventually gave way to reveal a tiny waist with an ample bust sitting on top of it. The pink sequins spattered across this lovely figure sparkled like priceless diamonds. The tension in the air made the room thick with anticipation; a large feathered fan hid the cherry on this sparkling, delicious cake. All were hungry to see the face behind the body.
She moved seductively to the beat of the music. A hip shimmied dramatically to the left, as her head swung opposite to the right. A cascade of thick black curls mimicked the fan as it leapt through the air and revealed a tiny fraction of the mystery woman behind it.
Perfectly timed, right after a dramatic pause in the music—she dropped the fan. The crowd let out a faint gasp. One would think with all that anticipation, the final reveal could only lead to disappointment.
But, Sasha was not one to let down a crowd. Her piercing blue eyes peered confidently as she searched for something. Her eyes lit up at the sight of a man in a suit sitting at the end of the stage. She grabbed him seductively by the tie. Every other man in the room was envious for the attention that she lavished on him, even if it was for just a moment.
I stood frozen in the back, afraid to even blink for a second. I did not want to miss a moment of her amazing performance. Before the song was finished Sasha vanished behind the curtains; leaving a trail of pink feathers and lipstick-stained cheeks. This only left the crowd salivating for more. She was a shining diamond among the rubble of battered showgirls in this Chicago strip club.
In that moment I realized my search for a role model was over. Sasha was the epitome of everything I wanted to be. She was beautiful, confident, powerful and seductive. She became my idol and I would stop at nothing to become just like her.
Reading Ex. 20:3-6 brings such sadness to my heart. It did not matter if I wore a cross on my neck. I spent hours mimicking the dance moves and practicing my makeup techniques to become just like the goddess I wanted to be like. Unfortunately, my model was not God, but a flawed human. Who do you want to be like? Be careful what you wish for. You might just get what you want and that could be the very thing that kills you.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you with great sorrow on my heart. I see now that you never wanted me to wear a cross on my neck unless I gave you the heart that it rested upon.
Lord, you have been so patient with me. You are so merciful. Thank you for not answering all of my unspoken prayers, because if you did it would have been the death of me.
I regret that I have never truly worshiped you. I have idolized others, put my own desires first and followed the fruitless path of empty dreams.
The good news is I am aware that you are God and that you are a jealous God. Please help me to remember that your jealousy is actually a good thing. It means you are passionate about having my full attention and you are so worthy of it.
Lord, today I want to rededicate myself to you. Give me a sincere heart and help me to keep my focus on the only role model that will actually mold me into something more beautiful as time goes by. I am ready to learn now, for I am willing to obey.
In Jesus’ precious name, I regret that my past choices broke your heart. Please mold me into the woman that makes you smile every day until I see you in heaven. Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Exodus 20:3-6
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan
