Stiff-Necked Children

A child's behavior can be quite telling. They can be easily distracted - blowing bubbles one minute, then chasing butterflies the next. It can be quite frustrating as a parent when you want them to do something and they're just not doing it. It can also become a lifelong problem if we let it be.

A prime example of a disobedient child is Israel, God's chosen people. His children. God actually called them "stiff-necked" because they refused to bow their heads and follow His instructions. That description also fits us pretty well. Nothing has really changed in our disobedient behavior.

There is much to distract us these days. Last night during dinner, for example, my wife asked, "Well, what are we going to watch tonight?" Screen time can become a MAJOR distraction.

If we were to make a list of the different things we do in a given day, what would we discover? For the most part we are all still children really. Instead of butterflies bubbles, we go after bigger things like Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

There are so many distractions being offered in today's world it's amazing that God can get any attention at all. Satan is smiling.

Deuteronomy 7, 8 and 9 contain an excellent review of a disobedient and distracted people. Deuteronomy 8 contains a brief lesson as God tells us what awaits for those who become distracted and wander off into the weeds.

"If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed." - Deuteronomy 8:19

What are the "gods" that WE worship? Work? Television? Busyness?

Let us not become a stiff-necked people. Let us worship God by living our lives for Him. Read God's Word, learn from it, and apply it to our lives. Don't allow distractions to creep in and take over parts of our lives that are God's. If we do we "will surely be destroyed."