God. . .or not?

"There the Danites set up for themselves the idol,

and Jonathan son of Gershom,

the son of Moses,

and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan

until the time of the captivity of the land.

They continued to use the idol Micah had made,

all the time the house of God was in Shiloh."

Judges 18:30-31

It seemed like a good idea at the time.  After all, I didn't know any better.  My husband and I put together the pieces in the way we thought the bookshelf should go.  Without the instructions, we relied on our own experience of assembling kits, our background in using bookshelves and our opinion of how the finished product should look.  After we completed the product we discovered several "extra" pieces.  Obviously, our idea of how the shelves should be put together was different than what the creator of the furniture had intended.

This is similar to what happened to the tribe of Dan.  Without a godly leader to teach them the ways of God, they relied on what seemed right to them.  They ended up, then, with something that was different from what God intended.  They had a form of godliness but it wasn't of God (2 Timothy 3:5). It looked like a legitimate religion and made them feel good, but they failed to seek God Himself, nor did they desire to know Him personally.

Not surprisingly, I often make this same mistake.

My Wisdom

I used my own rationale, reasoning to myself that if I followed the game trail I would be able to more easily negotiate the wooded terrain.  What I didn't take into account, however, was the direction of travel.  Deer don't mind if they wander through a neighbor's pasture or trespass onto land that belongs to someone else.  Their only focus is to get from point A to point B.  I, however, had a different goal; to explore the 10 acres of wooded land my family was considering purchasing.  As a result, I got lost.

While it made sense to my way of thinking to follow this meandering path as a way to find my way through the dense forest, it didn't turn out very well in the end.  I suddenly found myself in a cow pasture I didn't even know existed and I had to trek through a herd of cattle before making my way to the road and circle back around to where I started.  Doing things my way was unsuccessful.

This is similar to what happens when I rely on my own insight, using my past experiences, background and reasoning to determine what I should do.  The path I choose takes me far away from God.  Consequently, if I want to do things God's way, I had better let Him lead.  

This means placing my confidence in the Lord's wisdom, believing that He has a way through my present circumstances that I know nothing about.  When I turn to Him, placing all my trust in His way, He will show me what I need to know when I need to know it (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It reminds me of the markers that indicate the borders of our property.  In order to find the boundaries, I would only need to locate those markers buried a few inches under the ground.  Without them, I don't know where my yard stops and my neighbor's begins.  All that it takes for me to discover the property line is to locate those markers that have already been positioned.

Similarly, God has laid out a race for me to run, a way for me to go, a path for me to take (Hebrews 12:1).  There is no need for me to figure out by myself what I should do with my life.  Instead, I need only seek out the Lord and, according to His timetable, He will unveil the markers that make His way clear (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

I follow my own form of religion when I rely on my own understanding instead of seeking God's plan.

My Power

In my own strength I could only get the seat out to the van from where it was temporarily stored in our garage.  Without my husband's help, though, I couldn't lift it into the vehicle and maneuver it back into place.  I possessed the will to do so and I could see how the latches on the bottom of the seat were designed to clamp into the anchors mounted on the floor of the van.  Without an outside source of power, however, I didn't have the strength to accomplish the task.

This is similar to my walk with the Lord.  I may think I know what needs to be done, or I have an idea of how things should go according to what I can handle, but I limit myself to what I can naturally do.  For instance, I may reject the idea that I could speak to a group of people because I get too nervous.  Instead of relying on the God who made my mouth and can enable me to deliver His message, I only go by what I think I am capable of doing.  In this way I limit God by my own weaknesses (Exodus 4:10-11).

Other times, I think that this is not the time to start the ministry God has placed on my heart.  After all, I reason, my life is too busy right now; I don't want to spread myself too thin.  Unfortunately, what I am failing to realize is that if God gave me a job to do, it is His strength that will accomplish the work, not my own.  Therefore, it doesn't matter if I'm poured out until I'm empty because God's power never runs out (Isaiah 40:28-29).

Then there are the times when I limit God to what I think I'm able to do.  Instead, God has amazing things to show me where He will prove that His arm is not too short (Numbers 11:23).

I follow my own form of religion when I limit God to what I can do instead of remembering that His power within me is able to accomplish far more (Ephesians 3:20).

My Love

Despite my efforts, the duck pond I excavated as a child drained quickly.  No matter how much water I added to the hole, it promptly drained out, leaving my ducks nowhere to swim.  This reminds me of my own ability to love; it is shallow and easily exhausted.  God's love, on the other hand, never runs out (1 Corinthians 13:7, 13, Psalm 136).

If I attempt only the acts of kindness that are within my own shallow ability to love, then, I am refusing to give God free reign to love.  Instead of letting His perfect love flow through me uninhibited, I kink the hose, cutting off the stream.  I manufacture a counterfeit religion based on my own ideas of love.

This happens when I put pressure on myself to respond to the cranky clerk with a soft answer, knowing it will turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). If she keeps pushing my buttons, however, my own well of love will soon grow dry and I'll snap, giving her a piece of my mind.  Instead, a genuine ability to love will only come forth when I surrender my desire to be treated with respect and let God show me the hurt that lies beneath her harsh words.  Then, as I take on the Lord Jesus Christ, He will respond through me with a level of compassion and understanding she has never before experienced (Romans 13:14).

Sometimes I attempt to love those who have been forgotten.  As I distribute the meals to the homeless, I smile warmly, attempting to show them how much I care.  Soon, however, I tire of the exercise and want to get back to my side of town. Instead, if I were to let God have His way, letting go of my own agenda, I'd soon find a genuine desire to personally get to know each person passing through the line, discovering a new-found acceptance of them as His image bearers.

I also make up my own form of religion when I try to reach out to my neighbors by a sense of obligation, knowing I am to be salt and light in a dark world.  Every time I hear the foul language spring forth from their mouths, however, and see the way they neglect their children, my efforts to show kindness draws to a close.  If I were to give up my tendency to point out their flaws, however, and simply let God remind me how much they need Jesus just like I do, I would not be able to fathom the compassion that flows out to them.  

I follow my own form of religion when I attempt to love others in the way I think I should instead of letting God perfectly love them through me (1 John 4:7-8).

While I may think it ridiculous that the tribe of Dan worshiped an image and thought they were doing right, I often set up my own form of religion and think it honors God.  Unfortunately, when I rely on my own wisdom, power and love, my attempts are proved a fraud.  If I want to follow God, I must do it His way.  Otherwise, I will find myself following a god that is not at all the One I seek.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay true to what God teaches in His Word.

When do I rely on my own understanding to try to negotiate the potholes of life instead of depending on God?

How am I making up things as I go instead of following the path God has marked out for me?


Originally published on April 2, 2014