God Isn't Zeus

Hey, y’all, it’s Daisy. Today, we are focusing on the “What Am I Grateful For This Week?” page in our Alone With God journal. If you don’t have an Alone With God journal, you can get one at wordbymail.com. I have found that spending quality time with God really strengthens my relationship with him and this page, especially, really helps me recenter and to focus on what I have more than what I don’t have. It just helps me to ground myself in gratitude, which just makes my spirit feel a little lighter and really helps to soothe my anxiety. So, I highly suggest getting this journal and spending some alone time with God each week. I can’t put it into words – but it is everything to me.

I’ve titled today’s devotional “God Isn’t Zeus.”

Psalm 98:1-5 (NRSVA)
1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have gained him victory.
2 The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.

So, I used to be fascinated with Greek mythology. And being raised in a Christian household, there was something so interesting about flawed gods and goddesses who controlled different aspects of nature and creation. And they were vindictive, and jealous, and self-serving. And it was totally different from the God I grew up learning about.

And learning about Greek mythology made me more and more thankful that the true God was a God who did not need to manipulate humans into loving him. That God is all-powerful and doesn’t have to “split the work.” He is slow to anger and quick to forgive. He doesn’t demand our love or our worship or hurt us when we anger him. He’s steadfast and faithful and loving even when we are terrible and cruel and wrong.

Everything that God does is because he loves us and wants to take care of us. Not because he needs anything from us. And it is a love like that which makes him so easy to serve because it summons a response of gratitude and it fills us up with joy. And loving God is the easiest thing I have ever done because he has given me every reason to trust him.

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you that you are trustworthy and good. Thank you that you are all-powerful but that you don’t use your power to hurt or punish your creation. You are the One and the Only God, and I will serve you because you are easy to serve. In Jesus’ name, amen.