Some thoughts

Above are some photographs from our camping trip with our Youth Group last week. It was more fun than we thought since we went to Jellystone in Lawrence and there were lots for the kids to do. We had a couple other adults along with us and that was an amazing blessing. We grilled and ate and played guitar and played tag and jumped on this blob-thing. . . it was great.

Josiah doing flips on the "blob"

In other news, our ladies bible study got started last night. We're going through a book on family (who's name I can't quite recall just now) and also Ephesians. The talk wound up centering around children and families since the other three ladies all have small children/babies. I commented that I feared raising a child in this culture. How is it possible to raise and protect impressionable minds from the depravity that defines our culture today? I know the answer is to raise them up in fear of the Lord (love, devotion, admiration, respect) and be good examples in what/how we ourselves as parents read/watch/say/treat each other and then trust God to grow that seed of holiness we plant. Perhaps I have a control-complex. Okay, scratch that. I *know* I do. Having a drive and a focus and a "can-do" attitude also translates into a controlling hand and a life that occasionally dives into the pit of fear from time to time.

In youth group this past Sunday, we read through the Second Commandment-- make no graven image and do not bow to it. This is very closely related to the first commandment-- have no other gods before God.

We talked over the basics of what this means: what does having other gods in our culture look like? What are some graven images that we are tempted to create and then "bow" to (ie, worship)? What do we worship and what does that look like? Of course, the youth came up with some good answers: Professional Athletes, Actors, Justin Bieber, etc. How Catholics create relics of the Virgin Mary, Buddhists worshiping a gold statue, etc. But then as Jered and I discussed it further in the car after church, we followed the rabbit trail of our thoughts until we were so deep into these two commandments, I felt something near despair at my falling short and how our collective lifestyle (in America) is set dead against everything that these commandments stand for. All of humanity has been dead set against it since the beginning-- wasn't that the original lie? That we could be like God?

To be honest, I have a real hard time with Christian musicians. Or TV preachers. Or big name Christian speaks/authors. I have very different views of wealth than a lot of the name-it-and-claim-it preachers who live the lifestyle even if they don't say those words (think preachers who make $100K+). Perhaps this is unfair of me and I hope not to judge harshly, but a year or so ago, I had a talk with the girls in the youth group during Girls Time and we were discussing why Jesus had the ministry He had. Why didn't He want fame and popularity? Why didn't He overthrow Caesar? Couldn't He have reached more people standing on a pedestal? Couldn't He have done more of God's work as an acknowledged leader with lots of power in that society? Why didn't He make Himself into a rockstar? Why didn't He write lots and lots of books and get in good with the Romans so he'd be invited to speak to large groups of people in the Colosseum? Why didn't He pay people to hear Him speak? Why didn't He sell tickets for people to see Him do miracles-- even if He gave the money to a good cause? Why didn't He sell T-Shirts signed by Him and why didn't He set up more of a business-like organization instead of getting the rag-tag, uneducated, coarse men He did?

What does that say about the way we do things on this earth? Why does it feel like we are doing far more "conforming" (albeit in a Christian way) than Transforming. Why do we take secular music and give it Christian lyrics? Why does Sunday Morning Services at the big megachurches often feel like more of a production than a gathering of souls? Are we still creating false gods? Are we still creating graven images? Who said we should have gigantic Jesuses hanging from gigantic crosses that we bow before? Isn't He in us? Why do Christians fear marking in their bible? Isn't the bible itself a book of ink on pages made by man and if we just live in the indwelling of the Word in us wouldn't that solve SO MANY PROBLEMS and issues people have with the bible (tradition, interpretation, version, etc)? Isn't the Word living and active? Can I not mark in my bible? And when it gets old and starts falling apart (as mine is) can I not put it in the recycling bin and go buy me a new one? I don't know? Is that considered sacrilegious? I'm sure it is to some.

Okay. I know those are some words. I might've just offended some people. But it just goes to show how far the rabbit hole goes. When God says to worship no other gods before Him. . . if we get really real and think about all the many gods in our life, I think we will come away astounded and flustered.

Praise God for His grace and His love for me in spite of myself!

I know there times I make money my god. That is when I find myself fearing my lack of money instead of trusting God.

I know there are times I make 'other's people's liking me' my god. That's when I don't speak up for the truth in fear of offending instead of responding to the stirring of the Spirit in me.

I know at times I make my own whims and wishes my god. That's when I don't feel much like doing what I know God wants me to-- whether it's going to small group or reading my bible.

Facebook is my god when I'd rather do that than go to church.

Music is my god when I'd rather listen to it than speak to Him.

Work is my god when I give myself entirely over to it and have nothing left over for the Lord.

When I'd rather do anything other than spend half an hour in prayer or reading or meditation-- that becomes a god. How often does this happen? Every week, day, hour, minute. . .

 

But He has promised that His law has been fulfilled. I am not condemned for my failure. I am secure in my promise and I will rest in this. However, I want more from my life than mediocrity. It's that goal-oriented, focused, "can do" attitude that says nevergiveup. I think I got that from my mom. Thanks, Mom :)  And I want to give it all to my God. I want to please Him. I want my life to be a sweet smelling sacrifice. Perhaps that's why Paul said we have to take "Every thought captive" and "Pray continuously" and "Rejoice always". Oh, I laugh. How impossible it can seem. But it isn't, I believe. It just takes a lot more will-power and prayer than I usually give. . .