Thursday, January 11, 2007

A personal note

Like so many who blog and share our thoughts I'm human. Yes, I admit it...I'm human. It's a horrible admission, and one that I admit with an awareness of what that means....I'm not perfect. Yes, that's another admission. I'm not perfect. Ok, it's out there...you were thinking it, and I want you to know that I already know it. And while I'm at it let me add another to the list...I struggle with pride and idolatry. Wow, you say, that's big! Yes it is. But may I ease my own tension a little and tell you that you do too!

Our core sin issues as humans are pride and idolatry. It's the desire to put ourselves first, most important, most wise....it's PRIDE. And its twin sister is idolatry. It's my desire to decide what I will worship.

I have a friend, who is a Christian counselor, who says that all sins in the heart and life of the human being come down to these two- pride and idolatry.

We have discussed it for hours, looking at the bible, distilling all we know down to it's core issues, and he's right....it all comes down to pride and idolatry.

And, may I tell you, that after more than 55 years of life I'm really good at both of these! "Hi, my name is Mike. I'm proud and I'm an idol worshiper!" Yup, that's us...the proud, the idol worshippers.

The battle of the human heart is to worship God alone, thus eliminating idolatry. And to bow our knees to his lordship, thus eliminating pride. I'm working on this daily. It's the walk of each one of us...as Paul describes it, "walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the deeds of the flesh."

It's the challenge of our lives to live in light of the God who made us. The God who wants our undivided worship. It's my desire to be one who walks with God. It's my desire to bow my knee to his lordship. It's a moment by moment challenge. It's a walk of faith.

1 comment:

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

The God who wants our undivided worship.

I suppose Mike that God often uses both suffering and success in life to bring his followers to that place.

I like the clip.

Russ