The Delusion of Idols

"The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

made by human hands.

They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see.

They have ears, but cannot hear,

nor is there breath in their mouths.

Those who make them will be like them,

and so will all who trust in them."

Psalm 135:15-18

Relationships.  Success.  Romantic love.  Sex.  Power.  Money.  Financial Security.  Comfort.  Adventure.  Education.  Materialism.  Science.  Food.  Self-fulfillment.  Self.  There are many idols which mankind worships.  It's easy to get my priorities off, to place my trust in something or someone other than God, to give away God's rightful place at the center of my attentions.  

While I'm quick to wander away from my First Love, I am only deluding myself when I do (Revelation 2:4).

Impotent.  Whatever basket in which I place my eggs will one day bust wide open, spilling all my hopes and dreams onto the floor in a sticky mess.  Anything in which I lean on, putting my confidence in, is created.  Everything that has ever been made receives its power from its Creator.  Nothing in all of existence, then, has any power unto itself except for God.  Therefore, I am trusting in an impotent object whenever I have faith in anything or anyone other than the Almighty; a risky proposition, wouldn't you agree?

Yet I often go there, believing scientific findings hold the answers to my deepest questions, or medical research is my hope for healing, or my best shot at a meaningful life will come once I attain that diploma.  We all pin our hopes on something that is unable to deliver, that was never meant to carry us through, that can't do all that we want it to do.  Only God is able to do more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  Only God has the power I need.

Anything other than God will let me down because it is impotent to generate the change I need, the love I crave, the security I seek.

Useless.  A carved image made by man's hands sits on the altar.  It may have eyes, but they're only for looks.  It might have a mouth, but no words every emerge from it.  I can see ears formed on the side of its head, but it never gives any indication that it hears me.  I can pour my heart out, crying tears of desperation before it, but it will never respond.  I'm better off confiding in my dog; at least he will act like he cares.

While I have never placed my hope in an idol made of wood or stone, I have trusted in things that will never be able to help me.  I hear the common sense that comes from television personalities and I try to imagine in vain how they might respond if I were able to seek their advice (1 Corinthians 3:19).  Or I cry my eyes out over a sink of suds, feeling a sense of relief but never finding the peace I need (Philippians 4:6-7).  Or I spend hours researching answers on the Internet, but never seem to find anything that will truly help me (James 1:5).  All on which I pin my hopes is useless.

Looking for help in anything other than God is an exercise in futility because even if it promises the answers I need, its assurances are empty and useless, like the eyes, mouth and ears carved on a wooden idol.

Transformational.  It occurs without fail.  No matter how hard I may try to resist, I am unable to stop it from happening.  Even if I have the best intentions, I'll soon find myself where I never wanted to be.  Idols have a way of sucking me into their world and before I know it, I'll resemble them in some way, kind of like how dogs and their masters end up looking alike.

I become like what I worship.  Whatever I adore or look up to will influence me in ways I don't even realize.  If I want to become more cold-hearted, I need look no further than technology where the latest and greatest is always sought and there is never a thought to the human behind the device.  If it's temporary satisfaction I desire, I can place sex and sensual pleasures on a pedestal, and I'll find myself always wanting more.  If it's emptiness and a feeling of meaningless is what I want, I can place my hopes in modern science where I'm nothing more than an accident, here completely by chance. 

Since I become like whatever I look up to, worshiping anything other than God will lead me to become more and more like the world that is headed toward destruction.

There are a million places where I can place my faith.  When I trust in anything besides God, I will find such an idol to be impotent to help me, useless in every way, and transformational in it's influence.  Therefore, I would be wise to make it my intention to keep God at the center of my vision, pinning all my hopes on Him.  He will never let me down: In Him there are no delusions.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with all of my heart.

When do I find myself becoming someone I never wanted to be, not realizing that I am simply being influenced by whatever it is I'm revering as the next best thing.

How am I fooling myself into believing I don't have an idol problem?

  

Thoroughly Tested

"Your promises have been thoroughly tested,

and your servant loves them."

Psalm 119:140

God loves me.  This truth never wavers.  Throughout my life, whether I've known it or not, acknowledged it or lived as if I'm worth less than the mud on the bottom of my shoe, believed it or felt like an orphan, I've been perfectly loved by Love Himself.  My love for God, however, has not always been as true.  And a devotion to His ways?  I've more often than not been dedicated to following my own path, in my time, according to my terms.  

My love for God's ways will grow, however, as I see them test out in my life.  His promises are worthy of my full faith, but I won't know this until I begin a journey of faith that begins with a single step.  I will always prefer my way over God's way until I begin to believe in the goodness of God.

Taste.  "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit."  Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran spoke these infamous words during the closing arguments of the O.J. Simpson trial, referring to the prosecutor's case against his client, but also to the risky courtroom demonstration of the defendant trying on the gloves used in the murder to prove he was their owner.  Unfortunately for the D.A.'s office, for whatever reason, the gloves didn't quite fit and this failed attempt ended up being the nail in the coffin of their case.  Sometimes, putting your money where your mouth is can backfire.

Unlike this cringe-worthy moment in criminal/pop history, I will never be disappointed if I place my weight on Jesus, making a public commitment to Him and the path He has for me.  David exhorts me to "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)  He is always good, through and through (Psalm 136:1, 145:9, James 1:17).  He does not have bad days when He will let me down, when I'll be sorry that I placed my full trust in Him, when I'll regret having chosen His ways.  He is a good God whose goodness is thoroughly tested.  Therefore, I can place my full confidence in Him.

Since God's goodness is thoroughly tested, I can take Him up on His promises and find He will live up to them every time, without fail.

Repent.  Sometimes I'm on the fence.  I try to live my life my way yet still trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Trouble is, I can't have it both ways.  Either I'm all in God's kingdom with Jesus as my King, or I'm ruler of my own life, fooling myself into thinking I'm following Jesus.  There can only be one king of my life.

This is why it's necessary to repent, literally meaning to "turn away."  I can't work with Jesus and fight against Him at the same time.  It's impossible to let Him have His way and me get mine as well.  Either I'm for Him or I'm against Him; the gospel of Jesus Christ begs a decision (Matthew 12:30).  This means there is no straddling the line; I must choose one side or the other.  And the only way I can choose Jesus is if I lay down my own faulty methods of coping with life, my inferior attempts at living a meaningful life, my meager tries at saving myself, and fully embrace God's good plan of redemption and restoration.

Since God's forgiveness is thoroughly tested, I can repent from my inferior way of living and embrace His best for me.

Rest.  I have an unhealthy pattern in my life.  I tend to pay too much attention to what I can do for Jesus, trying really hard to prove myself worthy and earn my keep.  As I scurry around like a busy little ant, giving what I think is my best for Him, I fail to see that Jesus has already done all that is necessary.  As He lovingly said to Martha, I am "worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed only one." ( Luke 10:41b-42)  He went on to say that Mary, in sitting at His feet and listening to His every word, had chosen what is better.

How hard it is for me to go against my flesh.  It cries out for attention, wanting to do what comes naturally.  But in Christ, I am a new creation, made for new desires, new patterns, new motivations.  In order to find the restoring process as Jesus makes me into the woman I'm meant to be, I'll need to cooperate.  This means I must get out of the way and let Him do His job.  The best way to accomplish this is to enter into His rest, accepting what He has already done for me and making myself like pliable clay in His hands (Hebrews 4:1-7).

Since the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been thoroughly tested, I can rest in what He has already done, cooperating with His lifelong plan of transformation.

The more I see God's promises play out in my life, the more my love for Him and His ways will grow.  In order to start this process, I'll need to give God a try, taking Him up on His offer of forgiveness and relationship.  I'll also find it necessary to repent of my inferior ways and take up His superior plan for my life.  It's equally as important that I stop resisting His efforts in purifying me and making me into the woman He created me to be and start resting in His redemptive work.  In these ways I'll discover that God's promises are thoroughly tested and can be trusted.  What am I waiting for?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with every part of my life.

When do I want my own way more than I want God's best for me?

How do I fight hard to get what I think I deserve instead of letting God give me what Jesus already died to secure for me?

   

Continuous Fire

"The fire shall be burning continually upon the altar;

it shall not go out."

Leviticus 6:13 AMP

Cold crept through the cabin as the evening came to a close.  My husband and I, newly married, were spending our honeymoon at a cabin belonging to a friend of the family.  Snow covered the ground outside on that late November night and we knew the temperatures would feel pretty frigid by morning.  Since the wood stove was the only source of heat, we banked the fire to keep the coals alive until we got up the next day. Then, it would be a simple job to get the fire going again to warm up the house as we enjoyed breakfast together.

In the same way that we kept the coals burning throughout that cold wintery night, God required that the fire on the altar of the Tabernacle be kept going continuously as a symbol of His constant presence and the people's perpetual need for atonement.  Even though my sins have now been paid for once and for all by the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God, I still have a need for His constant presence.

There is no place that I can go that would be away from Him, for His Spirit dwells within me. (Psalm 139:1-18) What does His omnipresence mean for me as I go about my daily life?

Conviction of Sin

The pressure on her chest was so strong that my friend thought she was having a panic attack.  Every time this sensation occurred, she realized she was about to do something that would grieve the Holy Spirit.  Soon she put two and two together and surmised that the pressure she was feeling was the conviction of God's Spirit, warning her not to do what she was considering. When she heeded this cautionary sign, the sensation would dissipate.

While God does not convict me in such a physically obvious way, He has His way of letting me know when I've sinned or am about to enter into dangerous territory.  If I ignore this subtle warning, I find myself drifting away from God in my disobedience.  Learning to heed His cautionary alerts results in an increase of the intimacy I share with my heavenly Father as my faith grows.  

When I sense that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach, I had better pay attention to what I've gotten myself into.  It is easy for me to feign ignorance, pretending I don't realize the action I'm about to take is an affront to God.  If I humble myself, however, and submit to His authority, I'll find a peace flooding my being.  (Psalm 119:1-8)

As a sinful creature, I am comfortable with wrongdoing.  If left to my own devices, I may want to obey God, but my flesh desires that which offends Him. (Romans 7:18-20)  Therefore, I need His indwelling Spirit which comes through faith in Jesus Christ to point out that which is second nature to me, convicting me of the sin I must turn away from.  When I've already fallen, it is only His holy presence that lets me know my own role in this downfall.

God's ever-present burning within me serves as a strong yet subtle warning system.

Guidance

The surveyor got right to work marking the boundaries of our property.  I was surprised to find out that all he needed to do was find the markers already buried underground to guide his way.  Once he found a metal stake, he would post a flag in that position.  Therefore, the work of determining the borders had already been done by the developer and all that was left for the surveyor to do was locate the stakes that were left behind.

This is similar to my life.  I don't need to forge my own path, determining with my own understanding which is the right way to go.  Instead, God already has a way marked out for me.  All that is left for me to do is look for the tell tale signs of His presence.  (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Proverbs 3:5-6)

The key to knowing God's will for my life is submission.  I must want His way more than I desire to do what I want.  When I place myself into His capable hands, I am giving Him the authorization to guide my footsteps.  If I'd rather be in control, I'll never be able to locate His plan for my life since I am letting Him know in my attitude that I prefer my own way to His.  (Proverbs 3:34, Romans 12:2)

God's ever-present burning within me serves as a guide to the way of righteousness. (Psalm 23:3)

Transformation

He was a new creation.  The transformation from angry, self-destructive addict to peaceful, productive man of God was almost instantaneous.  His family couldn't believe their eyes.  His co-workers hardly recognized his new serene countenance.  His friends dropped away as they grew uncomfortable with his changed persona.  Confessing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior altered his life dramatically.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

While every new believer does not experience such a radical, immediate change, we all go through a transformation process as we walk with the Lord by faith. (Philippians 1:6) He alters my priorities, taking that which used to be so important to me and rendering it meaningless.  (Philippians 3:7)  

He also gives me a new perspective so that I see things I never used to notice, like the grumpy man who is really just lonely or the mean and bitter woman whose heart mourns the loss of her husband. (Ezekiel 36:26)

As I submit myself to the work of God's Spirit within me, I will find that I will want to do things that please God.  While I used to only be concerned with what would bring pleasure to me, as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, my very desires change to that which pleases Him.  (Psalm 37:4)  None of these modifications are as the result of my own effort, but simply the work of God's Spirit within me.  (Philippians 2:13)

God's ever-present burning within me serves as a catalyst for change that I cannot explain.

In the same way that the constant burning of the fire at the altar in the Tabernacle of old symbolized God's omnipresence, as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I can also rely on the continual presence of God's Spirit within me.  Therefore, I can expect Him to convict me of past and present sin, guide me on the way He has prepared for me to travel, and transform me supernaturally as I submit to His authority in my life.  In these ways, His continuous fire is a powerful sign that I belong to Him.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can leave my own desires behind and completely submit to God's work in my life.

When do I try to find my own way instead of seeking God's?

How am I trying to bring about change through sheer effort instead of letting God change me from the inside out?  

Spirit of Life

"Therefore,

there is now no condemnation for those

who are in Christ Jesus,

who do not live according to the sinful nature

but according to the Spirit,

because through Christ Jesus

the law of the Spirit of life

set me free from the law of sin and death.

. . .Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died--more than that,

who was raised to life--

is at the right hand of God

and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution

or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

. . .No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us."

Romans 8:1-2, 34-35, 37

I've heard stories of people who thought they could have it all;  There is the con man who lures a woman into falling in love with him so he can take advantage of her vulnerable state and bilk her of all her assets.  Or there are the businessmen who entice politicians to pass laws that would benefit their company.  Then there are the women who claim to stand for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions but deny that same privilege to their unborn child.  In every case, these people tried to act one way but live another.  Their hypocrisy betrayed their true master: Self.

When I commit my life to Jesus, I reap an everlasting benefit in freedom from death and hope for an eternal home with Him.  I am also promised a powerful bond with the love of Christ that nothing can break.  Is there anything that is expected of me?  If I truly experience His love can I go on living as if nothing has happened, continuing in my old ways?

If I truly have invited Jesus into my life to act as my Lord and Savior, then I will experience the Spirit of a whole new life.

Sinful

The caterpillar crawled along the leaf, munching it's crunchy goodness to feed his belly and nourish his fast-growing body.  He is limited in his mobility by his long, accordion-like body and multiple tiny legs, keeping him on the one plant where his mother first laid his egg.  He can never travel and see the world around him until he emerges from the pupa, or chrysalis as an entirely new creature.  The miraculous metamorphosis that takes place transforms him from a plump, awkward larva to a graceful, attractive butterfly.  Now he can live as the creature God intended for him to become.

In the same way, I am transformed into a new creature when I commit to Jesus as my Lord.  As the Amplified Bible interprets 2 Corinthians 5:17, "The old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away."

My past sins, former way of thinking, and previous state as an enemy of God are all part of the old me. (Isaiah 1:18, Romans 12:2, Colossians 1:21)  If I choose to continue living my way, however, as if nothing has changed, it is as if I am not even saved.  I am still acting as one who is sinful and hostile to God. (Ephesians 4:22)

When I have a chance to react in love when treated poorly, then, I go back to my old ways and lash out in anger and self-righteousness.  I think, How dare you treat me that way!  The opportunity to show the compassion and mercy of God is lost.

When God sends a hurting soul who needs guidance and comfort, I retreat to my old position of sticking to my schedule and placing my tasks before my calling.  The chance I had to administer   reassurance through the truth found in God's Word was lost.

When things look hopeless and my circumstances seem impossible, I do as I always have and fret about what could happen, turning my body into a mass of pain and suffering.  The opening God had provided for me to trust Him passed right on by.

I must realize that as a believer in Christ Jesus, I must purposefully turn away from my old way of thinking, speaking and acting.  These are parts of my old self.  If I insist on living the way I used to live, it is important for me to understand that I will reap what I sow.  (Galatians 6:7)  God will not protect me from the consequences of my actions because He shows no favoritism. (Romans 2:9-11)  I am held accountable for how I choose to live. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must put off the old, sinful ways.

Control

My husband received a remote-controlled helicopter from his brother last year for his birthday.  After charging the battery, we took it outside to take it for a spin.  It was pretty fun trying to raise it up in the air and make it hover without crashing into something (or someone).  The frustrating part, however, was that only one person could control the craft at a time.  

Just as this small model could only have one pilot at a time, so my life can only submit to one lord.  If I insist on acting as that leader, then God cannot.  The thing about God is that He is not a bully.  He does not force His way into my life, demanding His rightful place.  Instead, He is a gentleman, waiting for me to invite Him.  

When I see trouble coming down the pike and take immediate action in order to avoid disaster, I've left God out in the cold, denying Him the lordship I claim to have given Him.

When I go after what I want without a thought to God's sovereign plan, I've given control to myself instead of the Master Planner.

When I seek the advice of others when relationships turn sour but fail to acknowledge God, I deny the only One who can mend a broken heart and heal the wounds that drive people apart.

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24a)  If I claim to follow Jesus, I must let Him lead or I betray the identity of my true master: Me!

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must give God control of all things.

Sonship

My sister and her husband are foster parents.  Every time they take in a child, whether it be for the short term or the long haul, they consider the youngster to be their own son or daughter.  Bloodline or length of time spent in their family matters not.  Instead, the love of God compels them to include any child that is taken in as a part of the family.

Similarly, God's love offers a place for me in His family.  There are no requirements of time served, righteousness obtained or abilities mastered.  On the contrary, I am invited because I trust in Jesus as my Savior.  The blood Jesus shed on the cross is the only prerequisite for entrance into this kinship.

God's Spirit gives me the assurance of my place in His family, helping me to feel comfortable and at ease in this new position.  (Romans 8:16)  As I become accustomed to the ways of my Father, I grow in my desire to obey Him out of the love that grows in my heart.  When I do as He instructs, I find that my life is blessed in many ways.  Even though hard times come, my Father is always there for me, protecting me, guiding me and strengthening me.

Troubles that used to consume me, sending me into a frenzy of anxiety, now serve as opportunities to see the power of my Father.

Activities that used to bring much pleasure now are seen as an affront to the One whom I serve as I find other ways to find enjoyment.

Difficult circumstances come as I grow in my faith, but I learn that my Father sends them as a tool to grow my faith.

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must live as a child of God.

When Jesus becomes my Lord and Savior that is not the end, but only the beginning.  From there I cannot continue to live in my old ways and retain control of my life and still call myself a follower of Christ.  Instead, I only move forward in the Spirit of life when I live as one who is adopted into the family of my heavenly Father.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will put off the old way of living and take on my new position in God's family.

When do I continue in old patterns without even trying to turn away from them?

How am I defiantly insisting on controlling my own destiny?  

Iron Sharpens Iron

"As iron sharpens iron,
   so one person sharpens another."

Proverbs 27:17

I was inspired recently by a friend of mine who uses this blog as a devotional for her 3 sons.  They explore the Biblical truths, talk through difficult issues and ponder deep thoughts.

When I first began writing this blog a couple of months ago, that was my intention; that the thoughts recorded here would inspire readers to live out Deuteronomy 6:6-9 as my friend so beautifully demonstrates. 

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

God desires for me to do more than simply read His Word.  He wants me to delight in it, to examine it, and to put it in to practice.

Delight

When I think of delight, I think of the way my dog reacts when he sees the leash and knows he is going for a walk.  He becomes very excited and can't wait to hit the road and start his adventure!

This is how I want to be with God and His Word; to brim with enthusiasm over studying His Word and learning more about Him.  

Examine

I remember an inspection we endured when moving out of Army housing at Ft Bragg.  We had hired a cleaning team to come in and thoroughly scour the entire quarters, but first we had to pass the inspection.  In anticipation of the renowned difficult clearing process at the North Carolina Army Post, I had done some preliminary cleaning and inspection of my own.  But nothing prepared me for his thorough examination of the bottom of the inside of our garbage can or the corners of the outsides of the windows!  Needless to say, we failed that inspection.

If I examined God's word using the same gusto this man employed in carrying out his inspection duties, I would know God better than I do.  Examining involves careful scrutiny and thorough investigation.  It takes time and effort, but produces a deeper understanding of God and His law.

Practice

It is relatively easy to read and study God's Word.  The real difficulty comes in putting it into practice!  James implores me in chapter 1 verse 22 to, ". . . not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

I love to read the Proverbs and chuckle at some of the vivid word imagery or stand in awe of the wisdom Jesus dispensed during His time in human form.  But when it comes to living it out, I struggle.  For example, Jesus said in Matthew 5:39 to, "not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Another difficult word comes in Ephesians 4:29 where the challenging instruction is to, ". . . not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. "

And I always snicker at the picture conveyed in Proverbs 27:15-16, but I struggle with the content of the message. "A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;
restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand."

I want God's Word to transform me and fashion me into a new creation! 

Spending time with others in deliberation and discussion of scripture is vital to my spiritual growth.  I am inspired by my friend to take Deuteronomy 6:6-9 to heart and make a conscious effort to delight in His Word, examine it and obey it as I meditate upon His statues and discuss them with my family and friends throughout the day.  Won't you join me?

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will take your commands seriously, keeping them always on my mind.

When am I more eager to discuss the latest book or movie, but not what I'm studying in the Bible?

How can I begin a practice of regular discussion of God's Word in my home?