A seductive goddess is ruling in America today. She made large advances in America about a hundred years ago, and since then she has amassed millions of followers from all walks of life. She has brazenly infiltrated every level of society: the workplace, the school, the government, the family—and yes, even churches. Her name is “Amusement.”
You may also know her by her other name, “Entertainment.”
She feeds from a large table—and like Israel of old we too have become infatuated with her offerings and have committed the grievous sin of spiritual adultery.
Consider how often we bow the knee before the idol of Amusement. We do so when work is viewed not as God’s blessing but rather as a distraction that gets in the way of play. We do so when we agree that school must be made “fun,” for this goddess has deceived parents and educators into thinking that learning God’s Word and about God’s world is just too plain boring. We do so when winning the game becomes more important than how the game is played. We do so when government officials keep their power based on the level of protection they provide for Amusement’s harlotry. We do so when parents see children not as “an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3) but rather as diversions that get in the way of amusement. We do so when God’s call to worship service is less attractive than Amusement’s siren call to Sunday’s big game.
In his epistle to the young pastor Timothy, the apostle Paul said, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). He then went on to describe what these perilous (dangerous!) times would be like. Among his many descriptions, he included this: “For men will be…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2a,4b).
We certainly do live in dangerous times when we become more excited about the newest movie, television show, video game, or novel rather than the eternal, saving truths contained in God’s Word. We flirt with peril when we are connected 24/7 to the goddess of Amusement through our computers, our cell phones, our TVs, and our vehicles. Are we not losing our connection with the true, Triune God in His Word? We are backsliding when we would rather read the newest post on Facebook© than spend a few minutes with the Book of faith. If Jesus were to ask us, as He did the Pharisees, “Have you not read…?” — what could we answer Him?
Let us put down our remotes and pick up our Bibles. Let us turn off and tune out the distractions Amusement would place before our hearts, and let us revel in the still, small voice of God’s Word as it speaks to us of peace and forgiveness in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Let us not run to the next new thing to come out of Hollywood, but rather let us be renewed by “the word of the Lord [which] endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
Be not deceived. Fun is fleeting, while salvation is forever: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished” (Isaiah 51:6).
These truly are dangerous times, for not only are we robbing ourselves of the opportunity to grow closer to our loving Savior, but we are also allowing the gifts He has given us to be snuffed out as we turn into devotees of the goddess Amusement. We are being attacked on two fronts—namely, our God-sponsored Bible faith and our God-given opportunities to share that faith.
God informs us in His Word that He has specifically crafted each of us with unique gifts that He would have us use for the advancement of His kingdom (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12). In this Age of Entertainment, are we utilizing the gifts God has given us? How many precious hours are wasted in the name of Entertainment that could better be used to nurture God’s gifts to His people? Do we appreciate the fact that there is really no greater pleasure on this Earth than using our gifts to the glory of God?
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service”
(Romans 12:1).
Can you draw? Draw for the Lord. Can you speak? Speak for the Lord. Can you sing? Sing for the Lord. Can you write? Write for the Lord. Can you build? Build for the Lord. Can you clean? Clean for the Lord. This is why you, dear Christians, are still here on this Earth. God wants to use you and your God-given gifts to build His Church. What activity on this Earth could be more fulfilling than that?
May our eternal Victor, Jesus Christ, rescue us from the flirtations and temptations of the goddess Amusement! May He enable us through His Word to pull down the high places of Entertainment in our lives and hearts! May He strengthen us through His Spirit to put on the whole armor of God and train with it that we may be thoroughly equipped to spread His Word from sea to shining sea! Amen!