I wrote a sermon while in Toronto entitled "You Are What You Love," and for some reason it just came back to me. (If I already talked about this, I apologize. And I promise the perspective on it is now on a whole different level.)
We often say that idols are anything we value above God, but I want to take it to the next level: anything we put on par with God, or even consider in the same playing field, is something we have made an idol of. God is SO huge, SO majestic and SO ridiculously holy, so how can we justify looking at anything in our lives as even close to competing with Him for our hearts?
"They came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, and they became as detestable as that which they loved.” – Hosea 9:10
I have loved a lot of things in my life that were not good for me. Are not good for me. I let these things consume my life and drown out God. It's a choice until the point where I have given these lusts (because they're not really love, only a perversion of real Love) enough power in my life to begin acting of their own accord. Suddenly I stop owning these lusts and they begin to own me. And, all at once, I find myself as detestable as those things which I have loved.
Then. Out of nothing of my own volition, God steps down in His perfect grace to bring light into my pathetic little shell of a world. The light casts out the darkness; Darkness flees before Him; and He wipes the walls of my heart clean with His blood. I suddenly find myself new and more joyous than I ever thought possible. So what do I do with this new freedom? I follow the infamous path of Israel and turn my back on Him for something even more stupid as soon as I forget or take for granted all that He has done for me.
So once again I find myself in the midst of questions which, if answered just the right way, will lead back to that same path if I am not careful. The phrase that always gets me is "What does it matter anyway?" and suddenly my defenses are down and I begin to think and romanticize that which is ugly and detestable in His sight. But He has given me a new spirit of courage in the face of temptation, and I think I am going to make it through this fire period.
Right now, my greatest joy and deepest love are only in Him, and I cannot wait to see how I transform as I become that which I love.
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