The Lord has been showing me a lot today about idolitry. It kind of sounds weird saying the word, as if it was a problem in the 14th century with huge wooden sculptures of rabbits and that nowadays it’s been all figured out and isn’t a thing anymore. Or that nowadays we just all know not to put music or chocolate above the words of God and that it’s so obvious we don’t need to dwell on it. Today God was just showing me that idolatry is in every decision we make and every thought process we have. Every day we are faced with choosing to put Christ first or something else, and it may not seem, at first, as even that big of a deal.
It says in the Bible not to have ANY Gods before Him and to not have graven images. Well this doesn’t just mean images of sticks and stones, but even those in your mind. This doesn’t just mean thoughts of sin or lust, even worshipping thoughts, incorrect ones that is. If we have the wrong perception of Christ and are worshipping it, then we are making that perception an idol in our lives and sinning. Since we will never KNOW every aspect of Christ, we are to be continually seeking after him or else we will be resting in idolatry!
I always knew that stale Christianity wasn’t good, but I always just figured it was that, not good. It’s not the best Christian you could have, but they believed the right things and were at least doing some things right. Christ says that lukewarm Christians he will spit out of His mouth in disgust and I am seeing more and more now why. ‘Stale Christianity’, as I like to call it, are Christians that know who God is, have tasted Him, but say “that’s enough, I’m good”. They don’t have a hunger for Him and almost self righteously think they have had enough, they know enough.
As Christians we need to take Christ OUT of that little box we have Him in and keep reexamining the scriptures, thirsting after His word, reading scholarly papers, attending seminary, praying, worshipping, calling out His name and the like!
We are called to be more than just stale Christians that walk day to day in the same manor and are ‘satisfied’. We are called to be radical. We are called to be different. The Bible says that we will stand out, that we will be different, that we will be strange and weird. Do not be okay with where you are at, strive to be more, in Him.
Now that I have gotten that out, the Lord has given me imagery for you all. It’s actually 3am here and we are to climb a mountain tomorrow. I’ve been tossing and turning all night and wasn’t sure why. Then I woke up and realized that God was speaking to me in those dreams and images and that I had to write them down. I kept arguing with Him in my head, which always happens haha. My earthly mind always thinks of earthly reasons why I shouldn’t follow His heavenly calling, but it is always wrong. I’ve been realizing more and more how wrong my earthly justifications are. Every time I chose to walk in His ways and to do what that little voice in my head is telling me to do, it is magnificent, literally. It isn’t just cool or good, it is marvelous. I have been experience more joy walking in His light than I have in the past 12 years. I have been more real about who I am and grown into the woman I was meant to be more than in the past 5, which is saying a lot. God is cool.
Anyways, the imagery.
God was just showing me an image of this US Map, one of those multi colored, every state ones. I guess every map has every state, that would be weird if they left Alabama or New York out, huh? Anyways, it was covered in pins, as if it was owned by a traveler that had been to many places or a place that had had many travelers. It was covered in pins and I was moderately impressed with how many people and places that was, but really it was just a boring map. Then the little dots started to fall and as they fell they became big, bulbous, blueberries that were falling into a big, brown basket. Alliteration! I asked God what it meant and He was telling me that we are not meant to be Christians that are pin pricked on the map for our achievements and put up to show, that isn’t what we are here for. We aren’t meant to be stationary, locative beings that are told whats right, put in place and told to wait until people see you. In some aspects of our lives, I can see how people can justify against this, but just listen. We then fell into blueberries, big juicy delicious ones, which are one of my favorite things in the world. I’m actually craving them right now, which is one reason God chose blueberries. THIS is what we are supposed to be, do you see it? We are supposed to be these delicious fruit that people crave! They get a taste of our life and TASTE how we are different, how nutritious and naturally perfect the light from within us is. They are to taste GOD in our lives, dripping from every action we have. To see LOVE in everything we do, LOVE should be the root of our entire existence and every thought process. I see so many christians now doing this, and frankly that is what an unbelieving world finds so hypocritical and unbelieving. Trust me, I’ve done it a zillion times! I bet half the people reading this are still confused as to why I’m a missionary, how is Emily Butterfield, my sinning friend, a missionary?!
Well, I hope my incoherent mind was able to get everything out right and you guys got something from this. I pray the Holy Spirit moves in this and you will feel as convicted as I have. I pray that every decision you are making today will be not towards idolatry and divorcing the Lord, but in growing in Him and marriage. I know those of you that aren’t Christians may find this confusing, but us Christians have certain lingo about our faith that will be confusing if you aren’t in on it, so just bare with me.
I’ll probably do another post about what has been going on around here and the fun stuff too, since I probably won’t have internet until next week. I ran out of funds in Uganda, money has been tight since the bank card hadn’t came in before I left. My teammates are going to lend me money for the next month though, then the card will come on our first debrief in month 4, Thailand. Also, praise God! A few more donations, some big ones, have come in! I have about $3000 left to finish the race, I believe it’s due in February or something like that. Thank you all so much, you have touched my heart with your generosity, really. I hate cliches, so sorry to use one, but you really have. God has been good and provided 🙂 Solomon told me that if God has a vision for you, He will also have provision. Amen!
