Friday; December 14

For those of us who were alive during the 1970s there may have been no more compelling television than the hearings of “The Senate Select Committee On Presidential Campaign Activities” or better known as the Watergate Hearings.  Even though this show was live, it had more twists and turns than the best of the Daytime Dramas.  For weeks, the Senate Committee investigated the activities of the Nixon Administration and the Committee to Re-elect the President.  Most people are familiar with the outcome of the hearings, but the other day I came across an interesting quote by Senator Sam Ervin from the Final Report that condemned the activity by noting, “Their lust for political power blinded them to ethical considerations and legal requirements; to Aristotle's aphorism that the good of man must be the end of politics; and to Grover Cleveland's conviction that a public office is a public trust.”.  As I read this observation I was struck by Senator Ervin’s assessment of politics.  The purpose of politics is not to be powerful, not to get reelected, not to promote an agenda or even to “get stuff done” ... the goal of politics should be promote the good of man. 
As I thought about this observation, it got me to thinking about the purpose of religion.  What is the ultimate goal of religion:  to be socially involved ... to promote our own religious traditions ... to become politically active?  No, the goal of religion is the good of God!  Our religion should serve one basic purpose – to worship God.  Sure, there are collateral blessings that can come from it, but at the heart of religion is our adoration of and service to God.  When Jesus taught His earliest disciples He noted, “... seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).
Let’s make it a point to worship our God this weekend – and as we do let’s make sure to put first things first.  Come to think of it, that is a good way to live every day!
Think About It!

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