The Chrisitian theology that “the Lord Your God is One” is unique amongst many of the world’s religions. We lift our voices of prayer and thanksgiving to the One true Creator and Redeemer of our souls. We are given the title of “monotheists”, in that we claim to worship a single God that is ruler and judge over all.

But I see a tendency in myself, as well as the people around me; a tendency to be a Chronic Polytheist. That is to say, though I (we) claim to be monotheists, there is this constant navigation back to the world of polytheism. An ever present drift from worshiping and serving one God to worshiping and serving many “gods”; from serving the True and Holy One to serving the “gods” of this age. Though I am given the title of monotheist based on what I claim to believe, if you were to judge me based on my actions, you would have to come to the conclusion that I am a polytheist, for it is aparent that I am serving more than one “god”.

Jesus said many things in His earthly life that made the people around him, and us in return, very uncomortable. From being “born again” to “eating His flesh and drinking His blood” and even “take up your cross daily and follow after Me.” But, in all of his sayings, I don’t think any makes Christians in America more uncomortable than this:

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. ” –  Matthew 6:24 (NASB)

The truth is that, while in a church setting, where the preacher is preaching, and the people are singing, and the pastors are praying, and the children are learning, we are monotheists through and through. While we sit in the chairs and hear the words of Jesus or Paul or Peter or Isaiah or Moses, we worship and consider the Lord God that is One. At that point there are no other gods, there are no other masters, there is only Jesus.

My question is this: who is your master the other 6 days of the week? And I don’t want you to answer that question in a prideful, “Christianese” kind of way. We all would claim that Jesus is our Lord 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And we would claim that because we know that is how it should be. But how is it in reality? What or whom are you serving? Is it God? Or are you serving yourself? Are you seeking to please God, or are you seeking to please you?

The truth is that many of us we answer the question in hast without realizing the implications of answering, even if we don’t realize it, untruthfully. Each one of us has the tendency to drift back to the life of polytheism, where we can have our cake and eat it too.

When I was a child, I watched a cartoon called “G.I. Joe”.  At the end of every episode that would be some type of “lesson” for the viewer that would help them in dangerous circumstances. From talking to strangers, to falling into a deep body of water, visuals were used in order to explain what you should do if you found yourself in that situation. After the “lesson”, the same phrase would be used every single time: “Knowing is half the battle.”

If we are unable or unwilling to recognize those places in our lives where we are not serving the Lord God that is One, we will never change. We will be polytheists till the day we die. But, if we become intent on seeking out those places where God is not on the throne, and once discover them allow our pride to fall to the wayside and acknowledge them, we are well on our way back to monotheism. The biggest struggle is allowing your pride to cease and say the God, “I know that I have been trying to serve both You and (insert god here). Please take Your rightful place in this area of my life and help me to serve You only.”