Friday, July 31, 2009

"Dragging idols" revisited


This morning I'm reading Acts 7. It's the testimony of Stephen as he stands trial for his faith. In his testimony he recites the history of Israel and part of it reminded me of a post I wrote almost two years ago. Here are Stephen's words and a few comments and then a reprint of the post I wrote in 2007. Sometimes we need to be reminded...
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Act 7:41 "At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
Act 7:42 "But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?
Act 7:43 'YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP.'
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Although Israel was removed from Egypt, Egypt had not been removed from Israel. They took Egypt with them! God had to do a lot to pry their hands off of their idols. What does he have to do to get us to let go of ours? As a Christian I have been taken out of the world by the saving work of Christ, but has the world been taken out of me? Often I realize it hasn't. Often I find myself an idol worshipper. Here's what I wrote about this in 2007-
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"In part of my reading this morning I'm in Ezekiel. I came to chapter 20:7-8 and read these words, "I said to them, 'Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.' But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt."
It made me stop for a moment....I never read that in Exodus, but here in Ezekiel God is telling us they drug their idols through the desert for 40 years and would not let them go. After all they saw God do, how he provided for them, how he cared for them, they still drug along those worthless idols for 40 years.
I wondered....what idols am I dragging around? What am I holding onto after all I have seen God do? What "false gods" will I not let go of? Is there anything that I will not "cast away" because God thinks it's detestable? And, why don't I view it as detestable too? These are just some thoughts running through my mind. I know I do it....I know I'm "dragging idols." What are they? And am I willing to cast them away like worthless trash? How do I get God's view on all of this?
Lord, show me what idols I'm dragging around. Help me to see them as you do. Help me to cast them away...don't let me be a rebel too......."
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1 comment:

Schweers' Mom said...

Oh my...do you suppose my idol could be a cute, red BMW convertible? I don't want to ask God about my idols. Yikes.

Seriously, good post. And very convicting too. I feel sure I have a lot to learn in this life about dragging around my idols.