You will not be replaced.

You will not be replaced, Hope of Glory

If I may continue with the trend of song-inspired blogs, I was listening today to Matt Maher’s latest CD, titled “Overflow.” (Note: Matt Maher is amazing. You probably haven’t heard of him, but you should have.). Actually, I’ve been listening to it all week, and particularly one song called “Alive in You.” The bridge says simply this: “You will not be replaced. You will not be replaced. You will not be replaced, Hope of Glory.”

Every time this part of the song comes around, I think of how often I try to replace God with other things. I know I just talked about this a few posts ago, but I’m beginning to realize how prevalent the sin of idolatry is in my life. I am so prone to the sin of idolatry that I think there are very few things I don’t try to elevate above God. My flesh is so opposed to the idea of God being first in my life that there is nothing I won’t try to live for more than I am living for the risen Christ.

By grace I can say that I am seeking to devote my life to God, but still I find myself faced every day with the temptation to forget the truth of Colossians 1:17-18. “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” I do not mean that I am ever consciously thinking: “With what or whom can I replace God today?” The sin of idolatry takes a more subtle approach, by directing my attention and my affections ever more and more to the things of this earth rather than to the things above, than to Christ above.

Yet there is hope in this simple statement: You will not be replaced, Hope of Glory. My attempts to replace God do not come anywhere close to accomplishing their intent except in my own heart. I may seek to replace Christ in my life, but that does not change the truth that He is before all things. Though I say to God with both my words and my actions, “You are not my God in this moment,” His sure reply is: “I AM.” He is still the Hope of Glory, which is the assurance that He is going to be glorified, if not by me than by the rocks, by the stars, and by all of creation. If these know that God will not be replaced, how much more should this truth be the starting point of my every day? When I wake in the morning, let my first declaration be one that recognizes God’s position: “Today, you will not be replaced in my heart, Hope of Glory.”