There is One God

        Halloween is a popular day in America.  Prosperity seems to have taken a wrong turn in our history and we have forgotten where Halloween came from.  Our property in Indiana had an "abandoned" out house on it, but Dad used it to store tools such as shovels and rakes and other garden items.  Every year, it got tipped over.  We often wonder about the surprise of the loud noise of it crashing on its side and what the "tippers" thought was in there.  Every year, on the day after Halloween, Dad would go out and stand it upright in its place and there it would remain until the next year's group of "tippers" came on the scene.  The day we call "Halloween" has become a profitable time for businesses.  Stores in malls, which remain vacant all year, suddenly come to life for 60 days with all kinds of items for the average home owner to decorate their homes with the popular orange and black decorations.  Costumes are a large part of the festivities and people, young and old, try to see just how awful and disgusting they can look.  Imitations of death, goblins, ghosts and anything demonic can be seen being worn by many of the children in the neighborhood.  Even the church has tried to come up with something to do during this time of the year so the kids won't "miss out" on the feast of "treats" that the others seem to bring home in bulging pillow cases.  First Corinthians 8:6 says, " But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."   
        Corinth, as other pagan cities, had places of worship for idols and meat markets were located near the center for idolatry.  Only small portions were used in the actual sacrifice, so the rest was sold to anyone who wanted a cheap steak.  The new believers in Corinth, however had a problem with that since a portion of the meat had been offered as a sacrifice to some idol.  Paul seems to shift the attention the the Lord in the above verse with the familir, "but to us" phrase.  The attention is turned to the fact that there is but One God.  Our attention should be focused on Him rather than the imitation of things evil in the world.  It should be obvious to us that the placement of Halloween is where it is as November 1 is "All Souls Day" in the liturgical scheme of things therefore the world thought it proper to focus on the evil of the world the one day before All Souls Day.  We don't have to come up with an alternative just because it exists.  Our focus should be continually on God and His kingdom 24/7/365 and not on the things of the world.  Matthew 6:22-24 remind us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Praise God for Who He is and for what He has done for you.