As Martin Luther famously wrote in his Larger Catechism, “That to which your heart clings and entrusts itself is, I say, really your God” (p 24).
Ouch.
Idolatry may just be the sin that’s
the hardest to escape. If you peel away the layers of your besetting sin (your “favorite”
sin) and the shiny things that take your attention away from God, chances are you’ll find idolatry somewhere at the heart of what’s really
going on.
“My sense is
that we are more likely to be Judas than Peter. Peter denies God. Judas betrays
him” (p 23).
Double ouch.
Using the story of Aaron, the
Israelites, and the Golden Calf from Exodus 32:1-35, Kate and Jessica explain
that idolatry is creating a false image of the true God (p 23). And
while Christians are likely to avoid the big sins like murder and arson, we ARE
prone to “take great comfort in our own version of God instead” (p 24).
Anne Lamotte – one of my favorite
writers! – once said, “You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your
own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” (Traveling
Mercies)
After thinking about this for a moment
or two, ask yourself: do I do this?
Does the God you worship always
agree with you?
Who does your God say it’s OK not
to love? Not to care for?
(“After all,
what is idolatry except beautiful things that do not transform us?” p 25)
Or do you constantly find yourself
challenged by what Jesus commands you to do and who Jesus commands you to love?
If you find yourself being
challenged, something tells me that you are resisting the sin of idolatry. That’s
good enough faith.
“O, how
blessed are we who lay it all out before You, oh God, asking to be awakened to
our lives as You see them. Asking for the inward renovation that will tear down
anything false we worship, and for the outward turning that will make every aspect
of our life point to You” (p 26).
Pastor Allison
I’m curious:
What do you think idolatry ("shiny things") looks like in your life? Probably not much like a golden calf! It's much sneakier than that!
In the “A Good Enough Step” on page 27, the authors write: “What do your major life choices point toward? … What is the most beautiful thing you can say about your life when you look at the evidence? … What is a core truth of your life, the straightest arrow you can imagine finding there? Now ask yourself, is it aimed too low?"
Once again, these are pretty personal questions but I’d love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, perhaps in generalities instead of specifics.
