“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” (Psalm 119:63)
My heroes are not those who did things their way. They are not those who had to fall in love with the image they saw in the mirror to find wholeness. They are not those who “became themselves.” My heroes are those who found the way of God in this world; who through every painful event of life drew more from Jesus and became more like Him. My traveling companions and inspirations are not those who “broke free” from God’s “oppressive” yoke and discovered themselves; they are those who fear the God I fear and keep His precepts.
The idolatry of the day is increasing towards that ultimate day of self-worship when a man will “sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thes. 2:4) He will be an inspiration to billions of “gods” and “goddesses,” now in training. These believe they have “seen the light,” when they have been deceived by the darkness. Having renounced God as God, they have only themselves to fill the void that has been left. But they, and the other self-idolators who prop them up, are poor substitutes for the living God.
No, it is not me who can fill me. No, I don’t need to love myself more. No, I don’t need to realize my own power. No, I don’t need to find and listen to my own “inner voice.” I am not my own savior. I am not my own Lord. I am not my own God. I am very grateful to live in fellowship and friendship with the one God and Creator of the Universe. He is all I need and all I want and all I worship.
As the years go on and I see so many fall away to self-love and self-worship, I appreciate all the more those who stay true to the Lord, through every trial and temptation in this life. There is a faithful remnant, even in this day, who have not bowed their knee to idolatry and kissed their own image.
God’s true people, who fear Him, will find each other in these last days. They will not forsake their assembling together. They will speak often one to another. And the Jesus they love and honor will be in their midst. They are God’s jewels. I want to be among that number.
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” (Malachi 3:16-18)