<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter Snyder Many people enjoyed the Olympic comparison of athletic dedication to sport with Christian service to their Lord. But some asked about the pagan aspects of the Olympics, particularly in the ceremonies. I, too, was troubled by the salute to Zeus during the opening. It's a fine line some people walk between connecting to an ancient heritage and incorporating the false worship of that heritage. Much of the pageantry was drawn from pre-Christian or non-Christian sources. While most participants were believers in different gods or were total atheists, blending the traditions for the sake of unity flies in the face of God. "You will have no other gods before Me," says the Lord in Exodus 20:3. Literally this means, "Not will you have for yourself other gods over my face." We could smooth it out to say, "You should not have other gods in my face," or "in front of me." God isn't setting priorities here in the First Commandment. It's not, "I'm your Number One God before all else; whatever else comes later." He is saying, "I don't want to see you with any other gods." If a god is whatever we have confidence in, or wherever we place our trust, or whatever we worship, we can see how many gods creep into our lives and compete for our attention. God's choice of words in Scripture is important, and he often uses his "face" to define his presence and his attention to his creation. A face is not some nameless, uncaring force lost in the mists of time. A face belongs to a person - a person who is alive, active, and interested in what is going on around him. Often, when our translations use words like "presence" or "before," the root of the word is actually "face." Sometimes, "face" makes it through translation, as in Psalm 27:8-9: "When you said, 'Seek my face,' my heart said to you, 'Your face, O Lord, I will seek.' Do not hide your face from me." The heart responds to God, desiring his presence. He brightens our faces (countenances). Psalm 42:11 has the Psalmist talking to himself: "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance, and my God." Meeting God "face-to-face" in Word, Supper, and prayer puts a glow on our own faces. We don't have the shining face of Moses as he came down from Sinai after his time in the Lord's face. Still, our faces glow with the light of faith, love, and dedication to his service. Being "in God's face" is a privilege and joy for his children, but a time of dread for those who trust in false gods. Psalm 68:2 says: "As wax melts before the face of the fire, so let the wicked perish before the face of God." Hold a candle in front of an acetylene torch to get an at-home illustration of this warning. Yet the burning heat of God facing sinners becomes gentle warmth when he turns toward believers chilled by a cold, uncaring world: "Let my prayer come before Thee; Incline Thine ear to my cry! (Psalm 88:2)" Our heavenly Father has more eyes in the back of his head than any earthly parent could dream of. Our actions, our words - even our thoughts - are never hidden from him. Consider the hurt we have felt when we find out that family or friends have insulted or embarrassed us or misused our good names. Then consider how our Father must feel when we ignore his invitation to stay in front of him where he can watch over us. When we exalt family, finances, friends, or feelings above him, when we show others that we are paying attention to the gods of this world, what is the expression on his face? Yet above all, our God wears a face of love and forgiveness. What did the face of the father look like when the Prodigal Son returned home? How broad was the shepherd's smile when he found his lost sheep? As Christians, we can imagine even now the look on our Savior's face as he watches over his beloved flock. We think back to how he "hardened his face" against those who tortured him. He didn't allow the blows that struck his face or the spit which splattered it or the blood which dripped down from it to close his eyes or turn it from his task of rescuing us from our sins. This is the awe-full, horrible, wonderful, beautiful face of love. So now, when he tells us to get our false gods and worldly allegiances out of his face, we listen. For we know they obscure his loving looks at us and block our trusting looks back into the face of our salvation. So long for now. Remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951 or via the Internet through xrysostom@aol.com. You can also stop me on the street for a chat. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas, and coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1996 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.