When I am reading in the Old Testament, I am always
astounded by the Israelites, and not in a good way. God promised them blessings
if they obey His commandments and do not turn aside to other gods. And time
after time, they turn away. They are referred to as a “stiffed-neck” and
“adulterous” people multiple times, and trouble come to them because of it.
In my conceit, I always considered them to be such a foolish
people. How could they continue in this pattern and face the same consequences
over and over again? Then, when I what reading recently, I got a serious
reality check.
I am the same way. I turn my attention off of God,
worshiping other things in my heart, and I certainly face consequences for it.
When I walk in my hardness of heart, I hurt both others and myself so badly.
When I walk with God and am focused on Him, I have joy despite the
circumstances, I guard my tongue, and I am not nearly so temperamental. When I
am close to Him, I have His peace and he takes care of me. You’d think I’d learn, wouldn’t you. I realize I am
just as foolish as the Israelites, as are many Christians today.
We drift away from God and then wonder why our hearts are so
burdened and what has changed.
We blame God and ask Him what He’s doing, even though it’s
our fault. Just like the Israelites.
Luckily, that wasn’t the way their stories ended, and it’s
not how ours end either.
Eventually it heir oppression, the Israelites would always
end up crying out to God. And He always sent someone to rescue them and to lead
them back to Him. He never ignores their cry, despite the numerous amount of
times that they turned their backs on Him.
The same can go for us. Even in our idolatry, God will
rescue us out of it. He forgives us and brings us back.
It’s not an easy process, but we are God’s people, as the Israelites
were. We are His children, and just as children who have gone astray, we need
to be disciplined and brought back to Him.
It says in Proverbs 13:24 “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but whoever loves him is diligent
to discipline him.” We should not be resentful when He chooses to
discipline us. We should be grateful because it is a show of His love and
affection for us, as it was for His people in the Old Testament.
He is a patient God, but that is not to be taken advantage
of. He disciplines us to draw us to Him, not to allow us to go in whatever path
we deem is the most enjoyable for ourselves. He wants what is best for us, and
that is walking in step with Him.
I was really humbled when I realized all of this. I think
I’m so great, but in all reality, I’m not at all. I am not better than this
group of people that I once thought so foolish. The more I read the Old
Testament, now that I see my faults, the more I understand the hearts of the
Israelites. It doesn’t excuse them, and it certainly doesn’t excuse me. It just
reminds me to not be so prideful, because I am no better.
So many people when they think of idol worship think of
making carven images and worshiping that. So they think things along the line
of “Well I don’t do that. I’m not like the Israelites.”
I used to think like that too, until I realized that idols
aren’t always carven images, As a matter of fact, in our world, they most of
the time aren’t. An idol is anything that we spend most of our time on and
consumes our heart more than God. We don’t even really notice, but we worship
these things all the time.
Here’s a few of my idols-
-Myself (This is my biggest)
-Friends
-TV
-Food
-Music
-Grades
None of these things are bad in themselves. Actually, on their own, they are gifts from
God, given to us for our enjoyment. The problem becomes when these things impede
on our relationship with God. That’s when they become our objects of worship.
We need to focus more on God and less on ourselves. That’s
what God wanted for the Israelites and it’s what He wants for us. He wants us
to love Him above anything else in the world. And why shouldn’t we? After all,
He has given us everything. We should
love the giver, and not the gifts.
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