I’ve been reading through the Old Testament. This isn’t something new for me. I tend to gravitate more to the Old Testament for some reason. There is something about God’s heart revealed in His endless pursuit of His people’s hearts that beckons me again and again. But every time I get past 2 Samuel, I struggle to keep going. All those kings who just couldn’t get their act together bores me to no end. I mean, really, could they not obey the simple command to worship God alone? The nation of Israel struggled more than Judah in this regard. Over and over it says, “but “so and so” did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the example of Jeroboam, who had led Israel to sin.” I am fascinated by Jeroboam. A single man caused an entire lineage to be enslaved by idolatry. How can one man lead generations after generations into sin? Is my sin all that big of a deal? If I don’t get my anger under God’s control, will it really affect anyone? If I can’t get over my insecurities, does it really matter? After all, it’s just me, right? After reading 1 and 2nd Kings, I’m not so sure.
What idols have I erected in my heart and in my home that will impact my kids—and their kids?
Idolatry is a big deal to God. Yet, for some reason, we kind of brush it aside in our modern Christianity. After all, we don’t build golden calves just because God doesn’t show up on our timeline, right? Hmmm…
Let’s not place all of the blame on Israel here. Judah may have put on a fancy spiritual façade, but their hearts were far from innocent. I read these words the other day, and they have haunted me ever since, following me like an unwelcome shadow.
And though they worshipped the Lord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came…So while these new residents worshipped the Lord, they also worshipped their idols. And to this day their descendants do the same. 2 Kings 17:33, 41
Do I worship God? Absolutely! Do I worship some idols as well? If I’m honest, I have to admit that I do. I worship my quest for worth. I worship the things that I think will bring me happiness. I worship my time. I worship the American Dream, and my right to have what I want, when I want it. I worship convenience. I worship my sleep on a regular basis. I worship my wounds that give me an excuse to hold on to bitterness and unforgiveness. I worship many things. But I think most often, I worship myself. I serve myself while I claim to serve the One who made me out of dust.
What about you—what idols do you need to tear down today? What idols are your children watching you worship?
Ezekiel 11:19-20 says I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.
Living with a divided heart is exhausting, I’m discovering. I want a singleness of heart. I want a tender and responsive heart. I want my children to walk in a legacy of single-minded worship so that my idols aren’t carried down from one generation to the next. Israel and Judah found themselves exactly where they began—in bondage. I’ve come too far to go back. I’ve been rescued from too much to give it all up.
So I am going on a rampage. I’m going to turn this heart upside down until there is room for God and God alone. Want to join me?
2 comments:
Precious reminder to cultivate a heart fully devoted to the God who pursues us. Thank you, lady.
I'm with you girl...just been reading about idols. Wow, they're everywhere, aren't they? I'm learning than an idol is more than an "object" made by someone's hands to admire. But the idols lie within our souls, so far down at times we don't even see them. I want to find them and dispose of them. To worship God alone is no easy task! Miss you!
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