No Other Gods

"You should not have no others gods before Me."

Exodus 20:3

I entered High School with a great love for mathematics. It was my favourite subject, so much so that it became an obsession. If the teacher asked the class to do every second question for homework, I would do every one of them. There was not a question in math that I felt I couldn't answer. If I found a question too challenging to answer at first, it would excite me. I would ponder the answer no matter how long it took, ignoring all else in my life. Mathematics became my god. I started neglecting reading my Bible. Even during sermons at Church, I would think of math equations, oblivious to the words spoken at the pulpit. I obtained 100 percent as a final mark in Grade 12 Algebra Honours.

Then one day my brother and his wife invited the rest of the family to their church. It was quite a distance away, but they talked so much about how wonderful their church was, we decided to go. The man that preached the first Sunday we went was a teacher at the Bible College. He had a doctorate in Theology. I never heard anyone before preach the Word of God with such passion and understanding. It was obvious his wisdom came from God because his spirit was humble and not arrogant. A man's education can create arrogance, but God's wisdom is profound, saturated in love and humility. During his whole sermon he had my full attention. At the end, the Holy Spirit of God began to draw me back to His Word.

In matter of weeks, God revealed to me the god that I had created in my life and His desire to be first and foremost. As I continued to beg my dad to drive me back to this church every Sunday, God called me to Bible College. I now had a passion to learn more about the Bible. I once had an ernest desire to become a Math professor, but God changed the fervor of my heart. It isn't wrong to love math. It isn't wrong to want to become a Math professor. It is wrong to put something, no matter what it is, before God. And that is what I did.

I gave up continuing my studies in math to serve God. God later blessed me with four sons that have the same gift God gave me in mathematics. All of my sons are now in fields of study related to this gift. Daniel, my oldest, has just obtained his doctorate in electrical and computer engineering, Tim is working on his doctorate in mathematical physics, Chris has just now completed his masters in condensed matter physics, and Matthew is working on his degree in mathematics and physics. Each one of my sons have never put their studies before God. They are all active in Church ministry and love serving God foremost.

The man that God used to change the course of my life later spoke my wedding and dedicated my first son to God. He also became the senior pastor of one of the largest churches in the world and yet he is still exhibits the character of God in his life.