IDOLATRY

Awhile back I browsed through this article about how to identify your idols and was wanting to take the time to sit down and read it and really ask myself these questions.

Needless to say I got caught up with work and life and friends that I didn't come back to it.

Of course, God was like "No Heezy, you are going to face idols and realize I am Lord."
And of course when you are stubborn the first couple of times, the truth hits you hard and in the face and is painful and embarrassing.

So the last few weeks idolatry and idols have been on my mind. I've been thinking about my own life and the things I value and trust in to bring me joy, comfort, love, security, acceptance, etc. I don't want to put my hope in things and people that aren't Jesus. I want to find that balance of deeply caring for others and valuing friendships without making those people the ones I place my hope in.

I bought The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis a month ago and have been reading it through it rather slowly, but today was just a bunch of nuggets of good wisdom.

"When a man comes to that point of perfection in which he seeks his consolation in no created thing, then God begins first to taste sweet to him, and then will such a man be content with anything that comes to him, whether he like it or not."

"Turn yourself, therefore, with all your heart to God, and forsake this wretched world, and you will soon find great inward rest."

"Give to Christ, therefore, free entrance into your heart, and keep out all things that withstand His entrance. When you have Him, you are rich enough, and He alone will be sufficient to you."

"Put your full trust, therefore, in God. Let Him be your love and fear above all things, and He will answer for you, and will do for you in all things as shall be most needful and more expedient for you."

"The reason why so many things displease and trouble you is that you are not yet perfectly dead to the world, or fully severed from the love of earthly things. And nothing so much defiles the soul as an unclean love for creatures [humans]."

"The love of creatures [humans] is deceptive and disappointing, but the love of Jesus is faithful and always abiding. He who clings to any creature must of necessity fail as the creature fails. But he who cleaves abidingly to Jesus shall be made firm in Him forever."

"Be pure and clean within, free from the hindrance of any creature, as much as you can, for it behooves you to have a clean and pure heart toward Jesus if you will know and feel how sweet He is."



I don't know who actually takes time to read through these kind of posts, but please pray for me. My heart is still prone to wander and still prone to not tasting and seeing how good Jesus is. Caitlyn said it best when she told me she was praying that "Jesus would be sweeter to me today than he was yesterday."



The hosts, myself, and our sister Nicole.