And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Gideon in return for all the good that he had done to Israel." Judges 8:33-34. What do we want more than the Love of God? Life is not like a spicket that you turn off and on thinking you want to decide the distance between you and God. Judges 10:1 - Abimilech debauched Israel with evil, disquieted Israel with ambition, disturbed Israel's very peace.
Fast Forward 2,000+ years. It happens to every one of us as we wrestle through this God thing.
From a Favorite Book: "Though I wouldn't have admitted it, even to myself, I didn't want God aboard. He was too heavy. I wanted Him approving from a considerable distance. I didn't want to be thinking of Him. I wanted to be free---like a Gypsy. I wanted life itself, the color and fire and loveliness of life. And Christ now and then, like a loved poem I could read when I wanted to. I didn't want us to be swallowed up in God. I wanted holidays from the school of Christ." Sheldon Vanauken "A Severe Mercy"
Not only do we want our distance from God but we want tangibles---those things that draw us, make us feel closer to God. Nothing wrong with the vehicle. Everything wrong with the motive.
Sheldon wrote: "I had always served beauty. My wife and I together had loved beauty. Now, maybe, I was worshipping beauty in the Christian God while my wife was worshipping God. There may be danger in the love of beauty, though it seems treason to say it. Perhaps it can be a snare."
And just maybe today we are worshipping music, health, success, ministry, justice, mission, even our children turning out right. Are we worshipping God or what is way too important in our hands?
PHOTO: A look through a camera lens at Mount Rainier. Do we see clearly or do we give in to magnify those things that make us feel safe, feel comfortable, feel successful in knowing God. Remove the props, O Lord!
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