Sunday, July 2, 2017

IDOLS

Kneel at the cross give your idols up....
Look unto realms above Turn not away to life's sparkling cup Trust only in His love

Give your idols up....now that's a novel idea.......
     Idol: Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment; An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures.
Image result for idol
Singing Kneel at the Cross at church last night and as I was singing and thinking on the words of the song we sang these words: Kneel at the cross give your idols up....
     give your idols up Janet... but God, I don't have a statue I worship, I don't go to a temple and worship a false god...what are you talking about?  for most of us the only definition of "Idol" we like to think about is: An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver or gold.(Webster)   A good Christian girl wouldn't dare... what does God mean speaking to my heart that His church would not give their idols up? That I needed to give my idols up?   Then it dawns on me what God is talking about.... "Any thing to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment"             What are we attached to?  What are we excessive about?  ....ME, ME, ME... my selfish wants and my selfish desires, my selfish comfort is my idol.  I am squeamish.  I want to be comfortable.  I don't want to get out of my comfort zone.  What do I spend the majority of my time on?  ME.  Where does the majority of my income go?  ME.  Who do I plan around the majority of the day....????  Yep ME.  Who do I want to be right?  ME ... Where does God factor into all of that?  If everything were stripped away, could I worship Him just because of Who He is and What He has done for me?  I would like to say YES, but could I? If all I had was a room with no heat, no A/C, no music, no padded chairs, no convenience of any kind.... Would I worship Him?  If He said to me as he did the rich young man in Mat 19: 16-22 V 21 Jesus tells him to go sell all that he has and give to the poor and to follow him... in Matt 19: (22) But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions...... Would I go away sorrowful or would I obey????? 
       If I had to go into hiding or be arrested or put to a "deny God or die" test?  Would I be able?    I found my self thinking hard.  What do I do for Christ? Can I open my hands and heart and just be who He has called me to be and do what He has called me to do regardless
of my comfort?  God only knows the strength and depth of my character and what it will have to face and what I can do.  The Psalmist says in Psa 139:15-16 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
        I do know this....He has created us for "SUCH A TIME AS THIS"  God only knows what THIS will include. This could many uncomfortable things.   I find myself praying for my Christian brother and sister that the blinders will fall from our eyes and we will see what separates us from a Holy God.  The day is getting short.  The hour is at hand.  What will Christ find when He comes for you?  Will it be someone not ready...running to and fro catering to the idol of self?  Clutching tightly to things that might make you uncomfortable if you let go?  Will it be someone who can't worship because the music isn't just right, or the temperature isn't just right, or the church is too full of hypocrites for me to bother, or....any other excuse we create because we aren't "comfortable?"  Will He find someone who is packaged like a Christian...knows the right lingo, how to dress, how to act...who is rotten on the inside?
       Or will He find someone watching, waiting, willing & working?  It is up to each one of us....what do we hold tightly onto?  ....give your idols up....look unto realms above....turn not away....KNEEL AT THE CROSS.....

No comments: