Monday, June 13, 2011

Eating Ashes

God has made my mind swim over the thought of Idolatry lately. What exactly it means, why does it matter and what are the idols I hold onto in my life. 

Here's what I'm learning: 

  • Settling for satisfaction in anything other than Christ is Idolatry. 
  • Anything we give more respect to, more of our time to, more of ourselves to, is an Idol.
  • Anything that we enjoy more than our relationship with God is an Idol.

Yowch!
The Lord brought to my attention Isaiah 44:9-20  here are the verses that have really jumped out at me.

 Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and
their precious things are of no profit;
even their own witnesses fail to see or know, - (it's become and accepted practice by others around) 
so that they will be put to shame.
Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no profit?
Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the
craftsmen themselves are mere men.

Isaiah 44:12-17 talks about the craftsman that takes this tree that he has planted and watched grow.  He cuts it down and part of it he uses it as wood in a stove, he shapes the wood and builds it into something beautiful to worship.

Jeremiah 10 discusses the same thing and it actually almost makes fun of it. The blind ritual of men.


Jer 10:3-5
3.For the customs of the peoples are vanity.
A tree from the forest is cut down
and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails so
that it cannot move.
5Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
   and
they cannot speak; they have to be carried,
   for they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil,
   neither is it in them to do good."

They've created this idol themselves. It's just a piece of wood. It cannot walk. It cannot talk and it Cannot Redeem them.

Isaiah 44:18-20 goes on to say 

18 They do not know, nor do they understand,
for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see
and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.
19 No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say,
“I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”  

The Lord had given them over to their stubborn heart. (Ps. 81:12) 

They could not see that they were fashioning idols out of their own hands. They were creating idols out of the same wood that they were using to cook their food or make into furniture. It was a stinking inanimate object and they were bowing down to it. He was eating Ashes looking to be filled.
I find it interesting that Ashes also symbolise death. Something that once was and no longer is because it has been burned. It's Gone, Dead.

How silly is that? How could they not see that they were worshiping a block of Wood? At least we aren't that dumb, Right?!?!  Or are we. Going back to the definition I gave at first:
  • What are the idols we allow in our lives?
  • What do we allow to dethrone God? 
Think about it. Is there anything in your life that you give more respect to? More time to? More Thought to? More Love, devotion, more dedication to?  What is on the throne in your life? It may be many Things.  Let me throw a list together of inanimate objects that do get in the way of our worship:
  • Materialism... What keeps us from giving our tithes? 
    • Keeping up with an image we want to portray.  Is it more important for us to get up extra early to look perfect vs. spending time with God?
  • Television
  • Dedication to our hobby: Sports, Fishing, Hunting, Reading, Facebook. Do you love It more than God?
  • Gossip
  • Any Known Sin that we are not willing to part with, because our "sin"  is more important.  We're settling for it's False Satisfaction. And it's an Idol!
  • Keeping up our "Image" rather than a true righteous Heart.
  • Selfishness. Always wanting my way! Closing my eyes to seeing things any other way.
  • My Comfort Zone!
  • Pride
  • Insecurity
  • Fear of being fully surrendered to Christ
    • Lack of Trust
  • Anything that we allow to hold us back from a Fully Surrendered Life in Christ is an Idol.
  • Etc., Etc.
I am so Broken Hearted over Parents that say they want their children to Know God. Parents that say they want their child to grow in their walk with Him but it seems that God is Always put on the sidelines.  "Well, you can go to bible study or Church Camp or fill in the blank, As long as absolutely nothing else is going on."
May my life (or what I find worthy of my time) NEVER be what hinders my child from pursuing God! 
Parent is your heart not broken over this too? Look at that. What do you think your child sees when they see that the statements that our lives are making?  Are we ourselves putting the idols in our childrens lives? Parents that get annoyed over worship service going over 15mins but if their child's football game were to go into overtime, they'd be cheering the rest of the Game!

We have Got to start cheering for our child's pursuit of Christ!

What is it that we are allowing to get in our way of having a right relationship with God?

Is our life a reflection of the Fruit of the Spirit?  Galations 5

I have been humbled by the prayer of David:
23 Search me, oh God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

I was talking to my dad and he said, it's one thing to ask a neighbor to point out their perceived flaws in my life but it's another to ask God to point them out. My neighbor only sees what I allow them to see. God knit me together in my mothers womb. He knows all my weaknesses and failures. There is no where I can flee from His presence. He knows my innermost thought. However, if you desire a life that is radically in love with Christ and you desire to see Him Radically move in your midst. If your ready to Praise Him with 100% of your being instead of 25%. If your ready for freedom.

Pray for Him to show you any area of your life that is standing in the way of His Lordship.  Lay it down and experience the Freedom that Christ Desires you to have.

Remove any obstacle that stands in Your way, Oh Lord! Search me and know my thoughts. Teach me Your ways. Help me to know your truths, and to walk in Your ways All the Days of my life!

2 comments:

  1. Hi, I found you from Stacy MacDonald's blog. Thank you so much for these words. I needed to hear them.

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  2. Thanks Robin. God has rocked me to my core over several different things recently and this is a main one. I am blessed that it effects you as well :)

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