Everyone “thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:2a). Life and death are absolute opposites. The one delights & refreshes while the other destroys & repulses. Life is real, true existence. Death is nothing–the end of existence. So, no mistake could be as fatal and harmful as this: to trust death to help you, to fulfill you, to save you. This happened whenever one trusted in “worthless idols” rather than in “the Lord (who) is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King” (Jer.10:10). But, idols do not have to be wooden. “Greed is idolatry” (Col. 3:5b). Whatever & whomever you crave MORE than God is your idol at that moment. And all idols are deadly! To fondle them is to play with stinking, wretched death. We are warned to “Turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth” (Acts 14:15b). It shouldn’t surprise us that God does not look lightly on those who turn from life to death. From what He promotes to what he condemns. Especially when desperate sinners like us turn away from Jesus, who is the water of life, the bread of life, the light of life (John 4:14; 6:35; 8:12). In fact, Jesus simply is, life itself (John 14:6a). He is greater than death. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25).

We can insult others with few consequences; but, not the living God. “Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God” (2 Kgs 19:16). If you don’t do what I want, so what? But, “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31). Truly, it is insanity to disregard the living and loving God who long ago said, “As surely as I live declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ez. 33:11).

Faith and courage grow when we know that the living God is with us. David said, “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!” (Ps 18:46). So he wondered, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17:26). Daniel knew God lived and obeyed him at great risk, causing a pagan king to write, “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel for he is the living God and…his kingdom will never be destroyed… He rescues and saves…He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions” (Dan 6:26-28).

Through faith in Jesus, we have become the living God’s temple! “For we are the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16a). We have “turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess 1:9b). We have been placed into “God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15b). “You have come to…the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Heb 12:22). Enjoy and share the life that the LIVING God has given you!