Our pastor’s sermon this week was entitled “American Idols—Preventing good things from becoming God things.”
It’s easy to marginalize idolatry. Since there are no statues in our closets, and our living rooms are alter-free, we’re good, right?
But what about our hearts?
Unfortunately, forms of idolatry can (and do!) exist today—even in well educated and modern hearts, and we needn’t travel to tribal villages to see it. We simply need to look in a mirror, and ask ourselves some questions.
And this is where Pastor Ken challenged us to go beyond the obvious.
What do we run to for refuge? In what ways to we try to find peace of mind? And where do we retreat to when we want to feel safe?
Could it be an area of our lives where we feel we do pretty well in? Where people rarely criticize us? Where we like to be involved because it’s a “safe” haven for us?
I hadn’t thought of it like that before.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:2
Have I let talents or gifts become my refuge? My place of fulfillment? My means of validation? Good question.
Dear Children, keep yourselves from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
1 John 5:21 (NLT)
I’m not sure if I conveyed the idea properly. But what do you think? Is it possible to use our gifts and talents in such a way that we rely on them for things God wants to provide?
Obviously, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. :)
It’s thought provoking—and I’d love to hear your thoughts!
1 comment:
I've never thought about it that way either, but it makes sense. In the same way that we can allow pride to rise instead of using our gifts as God wants, we can also use them as a sense of security and depend on them instead of God.
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