Idolatry: The Rhythm of My Sinful Heart

Idols. They can be graven images. Baby Buddhas. Ceramic statues. And they can also be matters of the heart. Things I set my eyes on instead of Jesus. Good things that become ultimate things. Freedom, security, comfort. Rhythms I am supposed to seek with God, but instead look for in earthly things or earthly people. Oh, how guilty my heart is of idolatry!

God gives many good and precious gifts. He is the creator and originator of these gifts (James 1:17). When my heart turns towards the gift and not the giver, though, these things become idols. It is good to work hard, and to chase good things for God's glory (Col 3:17, 23). Oh how easily my heart turns astray to chase these things instead of Jesus, however. Comfort is a good thing. God is perfect peace (Isa 26:3). Far too easily, however, comfort becomes an idol (TerKeurst, 2021). There are many good things we have in Christ, but I must never let them surpass God, and how easily they can in my fallen sinful state.

Thanks be to God, he is not finished with his work in me (Phil 1:6). He is driving out the idols little by little, and ever filling their space in my life with his completely satisfying self (Deut 7:22). The Spirit ever convicts me, even as the world continues to throw itself at me. Because I am a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), I don't have to sin when I am tempted (Bridges, 2012). Idolatry is my old nature. Worship of God is the new way. May the Spirit ever attune my heart to the Lord so that my life may not sing the praises of this world, but of the God who saved me from such a world as this.

Reference:

Bridges, J. (2012). Who am I? Identity in Christ. Cruciform Press.

TerKeurst, L. (2021, August 12). When comfort is my enemy. Proverbs 31 Ministries. https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2021/08/12/when-comfort-is-my-enemy

What is My Life?

I faced fear a lot in 2020. First it was fear of dying from COVID. Then it was fear of spreading COVID to others. Then it was fear of quarantine of its consequences. I had fears of the judgments of others. I had FEAR. And it was becoming an idol. 

My family and I have not experienced COVID yet that we know of. We did face multiple exposures and one quarantine, however. One exposure came right before Thanksgiving for my husband. He wasn't concerned, but did act responsibly, immediately ceasing contact with the public and getting tested right away. He got a negative test result, but we weren't sure if that would hold. I agonized over what to do about plans to see family (e.g. my parents) for Thanksgiving. We had already decided to go small, but should we cancel all together. My parents insisted on coming to see us. My husband said we couldn't tell them what to do. I wasn't so sure, but as I walked that morning before they arrived, the verses below came to mind:

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14, New International Version).

"Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23b).

I had to ask myself what my life meant to me. I felt convicted that I needed to ask the Holy Spirit to show me if I was acting out of faith, or out of fear. I had to confess that it was the latter, and that I was focusing on the value of my life, wanting to escape unpleasant emotions rather than seeking God as God and honoring others above myself.

My husband has been following COVID mask requirements and praise the Lord, did not get COVID from his exposure. We were careful, but my parents still came for Thanksgiving and we enjoyed some sweet time together. We would have liked to see other family members and/or have a larger gathering, but we gave thanks for what God allowed and protected.

After Thanksgiving, my 90 year-old granddad declared that he wanted to see family and come visit for Christmas. This seemed risky given his age and the need to travel by plane. He acknowledged the risk, but declared it worth it. He dutifully wore his mask and followed all precautions, while we continued to mostly self-isolate apart from engaging in work and other essential activities. In the end, we were able to join together for a very special time of celebrating the coming of Christ to earth.

As of the date of publishing this article, my family and I are still healthy. We do not take this for granted or believe it is because we are more special. We are trying to seek God's wisdom and follow guidelines, while simultaneously living faith. Because what are our lives worth without faith?

I write this post not to suggest breaking COVID restrictions. I write not to criticize those who are more or less careful than my family and I have been. I write to suggest that we add to the current conversation about disease transmission the matter of perspective and the worth of life. My parents recognized the risk of seeing us at Thanksgiving, but valued family life above their fear of the virus. (From the news articles, it seems other families felt similarly.) My granddad acknowledged the risks of traveling to see us, but believed that this was the right decision and walked out on faith. Granddad considered the value of his life and the lives of others and acted accordingly. Am I doing similarly>

What is my life? My life is a creation of God's to be used by God's. That means I need to live in line with God's values. That means both submitting to governing authorities (Rom 13)and walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7). This is difficult to do in the midst of a pandemic, but it is what I am called to do. May God be glorified as we seek to continue to walk in the light of His life.

Do I Idolize Contentment?

As much as I talk about wanting contentment, I wonder if I want it too much. I wonder if I want contentment more than I want Jesus, if I'm seeking comfort more than I'm seeking the Comforter. Because when I'm seeking anything more than Jesus, I'm idolatrous.

As I was reading my Bible this morning, these verses really stuck out to me:

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.  Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.'

(1 Corinthians 10:6-7, New International Version).

It struck me that I'm supposed to enjoy life, but that I'm not supposed to idealize, it, or idolize it. When I am too content, too settled, when food and drink and friendship and home satisfy me too much, I don't remember my need for Jesus.

Teresa Swanstrom Anderson writes in her book, Beautifully Interrupted, "Every day [God] reminds me, I didn't put you in this world to be content. I put you in this world to make a difference for My Kingdom" (p. 127). She goes on to write, 

Admittedly, when I'm soul weary there are times I actually crave the fat and happy idea....But I don't think that's the contentment God desires of us....I know it's when He stretches me and I have no choice but to lean heavily on Him that I need to be content. Content with knowing that His plan is the best plan. Unconditional contentment even in the wait. (p. 128).

The Lord knows that I am wanting for and waiting on a lot of things right now. Yet He calls to me, "be content with what [I] have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'" (Heb 13:5). God calls me to be content not in what I have, but with what I have, because I HAVE Him!

I've got a lot to learn about contentment, but here's to pursuing God in that journey. To worshiping the Model and Provider of contentment rather than the virtue itself. To finding my identity as a contented child of Christ rather than idolizing contentment itself. God, help me.