Did God Just Call Me A Prostitute?

"and they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land" (1 Chronicles 5:25)

Israel went after other gods, and so God allowed Assyria to take them away. I've mentioned this before, in the Books of Kings they described it this way: "and sold themselves to do evil" (2 Kings 17:17). Selling ourselves feels like slavery, that to get those things we think will make us happy we are willing to sell our freedom. The writers of Chronicles are adding a new twist to the idea.

What is our relationship with God? We are God's children, His sons and daughters, everyone. But beyond that, to lay claim to that relationship, we enter into a covenant relationship. A covenant relationship is like the marriage commitment: we promise to love Him, only Him, forever. So, when we go after other gods that's an obvious breach of commitment. This could mean other religions, other gods, other beliefs and philosophies that don't worship the Father. It could also be TV, sports, clothes, money--anything that is putting God second, or third, or fourth.

And when we do that, yes, we're whoring ourselves. We are selling ourselves, our time and effort and money, or very souls, for something else. Something that we think will make us happier. And, isn't that usually the case when someone leaves a marriage? They aren't satisfied with their current happiness, and so look for someone else they think can make them happier.

The only problem is, if the one making the relationship not all it can be is you, then no matter who you hitch your wagon too you'll never be happy. But a covenant relationship with God is more than just two people living together, it is a relationship designed to make us better, heal us, make us all we can be. No other relationship, or person, or thing, can save us, can through the burdens of life away. So when we seek after something other than our Father, we are selling ourselves cheap, for someone who doesn't know our real value, who won't be able to release the god within us all.