So, I’ve been reading in Jeremiah lately. It’s a book in the Bible that I haven’t spent much time in until now, and I’m absolutely loving it.
The Lord and I are walking through something new together right now. And, I’m not certain of all the answers yet, or even what it entails, but, it’s definitely something that I need to be walking through.
The Lord uses Jeremiah as a prophet to His lost people, Israel has fallen away, worshipping idols and growing so cold hearted towards the Lord, that God actually instructs Jeremiah to not intercede for them because they are too far gone. (Jeremiah 7:16-19)
Because of growing up in a Christian home, I have heard of idols my entire life. It’s the second commandment, don’t bow down to any carved image. But, I have also learned that idols aren’t really carved images anymore, they’re things like money and the tv or basketball. So, as long as I don’t bow down to those things I’m set.
Well, since being in Thailand, the Lord has been revealing other faces of idolatry…
Thailand is a Buddhist nation; 95% of the population is Buddhist. In order to be effective in our ministry here, it’s important for us to learn about the culture we’re living in and the people the Lord has us loving. So, we’ve been going to some temples.
And let me tell you, they’re beautiful. Everything is covered in gold, with attention paid to each and every detail. The temples are ornately decorated and flowers and incense are everywhere. Lovely.
Lovely and empty. These places have been some of the saddest and darkest places I’ve ever visited. The bondage these people live under is something that I can not comprehend. And this is real life.
But this isn’t the only face of idolatry that has been revealed to me, and it’s definitely not the most shocking.
The most shocking, I suppose, is the idols that are not things at all. The idols that don’t have faces…Buddhas have faces, Money has faces, TV’s have faces… but these idols aren’t quite like the others…
…these are my idols.
The Lord has been showing me things in my life that I have placed before Him. My idols. And, let me tell you…they’re not beautiful.
He’s been showing me that I often yield to my own pride instead of His will. My pride is an idol. He’s been showing me that I often yield to my own comfort instead of His will. My comfort is an idol. He has been showing me that I often yield to popular opinion instead of His will. My acceptance is an idol. And the list goes on.
This isn’t an easy blog to write. I wish I was writing about victories for the Kingdom and hearts won for the Lord instead of idols that I’ve been housing in my heart, but even as I just typed that sentence the Lord whispered, “that’s exactly what this is.”
I guess this is a victory for the Kingdom and a heart won for the Lord. It’s not easy coming face to face with your own idols. And I’m not even sure what to do with them, aside from handing them over… So, that’s what I did (and am still doing) handing my idols over to the Lord and trusting that He knows what to do next.
Alright, I love you guys…and am praying for you often!
