This morning I'm reading 2 Chronicles 29. Hezekiah is king after a very dark time for Judah. The nation had worshiped other gods. They had become so corrupt that they had set up idols for other gods in the temple of God! These were sad days, but king Hezekiah is a bright spot in Judah's history. He's a man who loved God, a man who sought after God. Here is what happened early in his reign...in the first month in fact,
15 When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD. 16 The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. 17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.
It took them a full week to remove the idols that had accumulated! They had filled God's temple with other gods.
These verses made me think of another passage in the new testament,
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves....will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Like the people of Judah who had accumulated idols in God's temple, I too, sometimes gradually, gather my own collection of idols. Idols find a place in my life subtly, slowly, and often unintentionally, but the idols must be dealt with.
We aren't much use to God until we get rid of our idols.
I'm sure that Judah was surprised how far they had wandered. I wonder, in my own life, what idols I have gathered? Gathering idols is far too easy. It's an ongoing task to make sure God has my undivided worship.
3 comments:
I have studied that passage about Hezekiah before, but I didn't realize it took a week to get rid of all the idols! That's a lot of idols!
You always make me think. Good stuff, my friend!
Again. Your blog always speaks to me at the right time. Unintentionally, i allowed the sin to spread in me. Compromising with things that shouldn't be taken for granted. Yes, we have to be serious with the idols and sins in our life. Thanks for sharing it. I will be more aware with the sin n idols in my life.
So very true. And I think, it won't happen... and it does creep up.
But it's the richness of Christ and all he is and deserves and for our Father God to be worshiped first above all that draw me back every time.
I dislike myself when I have done this, gathered something that comes before Him. But thank God that he loves me unconditionally and without condemnation... that even though I repent and feel inadequate, sad, and I guess human, he thinks so much more of me as his daughter, his creation, servant filled gladly with his spirit, one knitted like everyone else in our mother's womb... with purpose and truth to serve him only, first, and foremost. Everything else falls into place.
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