Idols

I read this article by Ben Stein this week and he talks about the idols of our culture. Politics aside, what he says about our star worship is true. The people we idolize today are not true heroes. Even as Christians we tend to idolize the people of the world and rarely mention any true heroes or God.

I was talking to a respected me leader in my church and he was telling me that their grandson was going to visit every baseball field in the country before he grew up. Now I'm not against going to baseball games, but I'm a little concerned about setting a goal like this before a child even begins to talk.

I know that when our kids were little things like that were more important than loving God and living out our faith. We made sure that they played little league and got their music lessons and gymnastics. But we rarely prayed together, much less taught them about the heroes of our so-called faith. Not even the basics of the gospel. It's one of my biggest regrets.

The holiness of God and how easy it is to worship other things didn't have an impact on me until the last few years. Now my children are grown up and I can't go back to teach them the great truths that little kids should learn. I wasted so much time.

I was reading in Ezekial 36 where Ezekial makes the point that everything happens so "that they will know that I am the LORD." When He is Lord he promises to "remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." He also says, " And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules...you shall be my people and I shall be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleanness." ESV

I feel unclean today and in great need of a new spirit. I put so many people and things ahead of God. God says that we are to "loathe this about ourselves." Loathing isn't a word that's used much because it's too hard on our self-esteem. But God says when we see ourselves as worshippers of other things we do well to loathe that inclination. We are to worship and adore and enjoy Him above anyone or anything in our lives. Because whether we recognize Him as God, He will be God in all of our world, over all of our actions and for all of eternity.

I'm grateful for God's pursuing love and steadfastness in my life. I'm thankful that Jesus remembers that we are dust and that he is always praying for me in groanings that words cannot express. I am inexpressably joyful that He died for my sins and uttered the prayer, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 ESV

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." Luke 23:42 ESV