Idols

Heb. 4:1-11

God has promised His people rest, rest from work and rest from the struggle of the flesh and the spirit within each one of us. But what is the one thing that prevented Israel from resting? It was disobedience. They disobeyed the Lord and did not keep Him holy in their hearts. Instead they pursued false gods. It seems as I read the OT that for Israel their sin was obvious, false gods vs. the true God. They seemed inordinately attracted to the gods of the people that they had conquered. But even though things seem so much more gray now as opposed to black and white, I wonder if it seems gray only because we want to perceive it that way. 

We so struggle with the flesh and the spirit, falling prey to the same sins over and over. Is this repetition not a type of false god? Are we not worshiping at the altar of self as opposed to the crucified self? I think it must be a matter of heart. When the struggle ensues and we fall, how do we feel? Do we accept it as the common course of things, or do we grieve over that sin? Do we think about God when we sin or are we focused more on ourselves? Are we taking seriously the commands of Scripture wanting more than anything to obey them, or have we reduced our Christianity to a more convenient relationship, one that is easier to follow and one what does not attract any unwanted attention from the world. Even though we are covered in the grace of God and He views us covered in the blood of Jesus, He still desires us to be holy as He is holy. He desires us to want to be like Him because we love Him above all. 

I think of myself how that many times I accept as the normal course of life my bad attitude when I should be crying out to God confessing and asking for help. It reveals to me how insidious sin is. If sin is given even the slightest inch, it will take so much more. To be victorious, we must be engaged in the battle. We must remember the little skirmishes are as important as the big battles. Heb. 4:11 says, Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Father,

I confess my disobedient heart, my allowing of bad attitudes and a sharp tongue and retort. Give me a heart of love. Pry my fingers off myself sot that You may flood in filling and controlling.This is my desire.

In Jesus name,

Amen