The Slippery Slope

Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you. Deuteronomy 6:13–14

Often, when I think of idolatry I think of the worldly things that can get in the way of following Christ, but lately I have found that the idols I have struggled with the most are myself, and my relationships. Throughout the past few months I have felt disconnected, and had wondered why. I felt like I was doing the right things by seeking community with other Christians, joining small groups, and bearing witness to friends and family, yet still I felt disconnected, somewhat out of control and without purpose. 

This past weekend, while Brendan was in the field, I decided to go to Columbus, GA and visit my friends from my previous church, and over the course of the weekend I became aware of just how little I was serving God. When I had moved to Fayetteville from Columbus, I had felt a hole in my heart from the community of believers that I had left, and while I got involved with a church here, I constantly felt a twinge of longing to move back to Columbus. 

As I spent time with my friends, I spoke to them about my church in Fayetteville and all the blessings it has given us so far and found myself reflecting on all the miracles God has brought into our life since our move and was amazed at how quickly they had been forgotten. I realized that when I got to Fayetteville, I became self-reliant again and I basically looked to God and said, “Thanks for saving me, but I can handle it from here. I’ll find a church, find community and I’ll be ok.” My quiet time with God plummeted, and though I was talking about Him, I wasn’t really spending a lot of time talking to Him. As one of the ladies reminded me that God had placed us in Fayetteville for a reason and that we are to be lights in the world, I wondered how great of a light I had been lately. The answer was: not a very good one.

I thought about how little I just sit and read the Bible and rest in the Lord, and how often I have conversations about things I need prayer for, yet pray for those things so little. I suddenly realized how slippery the slope of idolatry was. It’s easy to recognize idolatry when you place work over God, or when you prefer to read a tabloid instead of the Bible. It gets a little less obvious when it’s as simple as basing your relationship with God on the church you attend or the relationships you have with other Christians. 

I’m not saying that going to a church and having a community of believers isn’t important. What I am saying is that it’s not important so that you feel connected and special, it’s because having Christians encouraging, loving and supporting each other makes the glory of God shine. God showed me that relationships, even with other Christians are empty unless God is at the center of them, and how impossible it is to have a God glorifying relationship with anyone unless we spend time alone with Him resting in his grace and truth.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:19-25

Commandment of Freedom

When we think of the law of God, we most often think of the Ten Commandments from God, but how often do we think about what these laws mean and why they are so important? Growing up, I was never really that disobedient to my parents, I knew what the rules were and I kept them, but I didn’t really understand why they were in place. Parents put rules in place for the good of their children even though the children don’t see it at the time. God does this too, but on a completely different level. The Ten Commandments not only give us a guideline for how to live life with the Lord, but also shows us where our identity should be found.

The first four Commandments warn us against idolatry, something which so often disguises itself as a “good thing." When we think of idols, we think of Greek gods, cults, or other obscure things that it is obvious to us that they should not be put before God. We often forget that an idol is anything that we put first in our lives before God, which is why it’s so important to We have all done it at some point, one morning we wake up and find ourselves paying more attention to and putting more effort, hope into our relationships, our work, our lifestyles, and so many other fleeting idols, until suddenly, everything in our lives seems more important to God. In that moment, we stop and wonder why we feel so isolated from God. When we place these things before God, it is saying to Him, “I don’t need you, I need these things to make me happy.” God knows this isn’t true, and we learn over and over again that nothing satisfies like the love of God.

Once we put God first in our lives, we are free to follow the rest of the Commandments on how we should treat the world. When I say He frees us to follow them, what I mean is that by understanding that God is in control of everything, we are able to act out of love.

Before I became a Christian, I was always anxious and angry. When people upset me, or did something I considered immoral, I couldn’t let it go. I could not find a way to forgive them. This afternoon, I was on the phone with my grandmother who is not yet a Christian and struggles with the same emotional tendencies I have. She asked me if I had gotten any better at forgiving. I told her that I felt that I had and explained that putting my hope and trust in the Lord and knowing that he is the only one that can set things right has left me free to love people for what they offer, not scorn them for their faults.

Throughout the past few months we have been working through Hebrews, and the past few weeks we have been working through Hebrews 3 where the writer is reminding us that Jesus is greater than Moses. The Ten Commandments are a great way for us to understand how much greater Jesus is to Moses or any other prophet because while God chose Moses to deliver the Commandments to His people, Jesus lived His life in perfect accordance with those Commandments. So if we, as Christians, are to become an image of the likeness of Christ, then it only makes sense that through our love of God, these commandments not only be our Laws but our desires. God gave us these commandments not to place us within bondage but free us from the chains of earthly wants and idols to be free to love and rejoice in the grace and goodness of the Lord our God.

    My son, do not forget my teaching,

        but let your heart keep my commandments,

    for length of days and years of life

        and peace they will add to you.

    Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;

        bind them around your neck;

        write them on the tablet of your heart.

    So you will find favor and good success

        in the sight of God and man.

    Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

        and do not lean on your own understanding.

    In all your ways acknowledge him,

        and he will make straight your paths.

    Be not wise in your own eyes;

        fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

    It will be healing to your flesh

        and refreshment to your bones.

    Honor the LORD with your wealth

        and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

    then your barns will be filled with plenty,

        and your vats will be bursting with wine.

    My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline

        or be weary of his reproof,

    for the LORD reproves him whom he loves,

        as a father the son in whom he delights.

    Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,

        and the one who gets understanding,

    for the gain from her is better than gain from silver

        and her profit better than gold.

    She is more precious than jewels,

        and nothing you desire can compare with her.

    Long life is in her right hand;

        in her left hand are riches and honor.

    Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

        and all her paths are peace.

    She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

        those who hold her fast are called blessed.

    The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

        by understanding he established the heavens;

    by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

        and the clouds drop down the dew.

    My son, do not lose sight of these—

        keep sound wisdom and discretion,

    and they will be life for your soul

        and adornment for your neck.

    Then you will walk on your way securely,

        and your foot will not stumble.

    If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

        when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

    Do not be afraid of sudden terror

        or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

    for the LORD will be your confidence

        and will keep your foot from being caught.

    Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

        when it is in your power to do it.

    Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

        tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

    Do not plan evil against your neighbor,

        who dwells trustingly beside you.

    Do not contend with a man for no reason,

        when he has done you no harm.

    Do not envy a man of violence

        and do not choose any of his ways,

    for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD,

        but the upright are in his confidence.

    The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,

        but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

    Toward the scorners he is scornful,

        but to the humble he gives favor.

    The wise will inherit honor,

        but fools get disgrace.

Proverbs 3