We can appear religious and be far from it. "Even though the Israelites were worshipping God, they were far from God. They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger." 2 Kings 17:16-17
These Israelites were dead serious!
Reminds me of today's suicide bombers with ISIS.
Selling themselves.
Sacrificing their sons and daughters.
Oh my!
The Israelites followed kings not the King.
They became faithless not full of faith.
They practiced secrets not surrender/
"And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right." 2 Chron 17
2 Chronicles 28:3 Infamous Ahaz —incredibly! indulged in the outrageous practice of "passing his sons through the fire." That is unbelievable. Verse 19 says: Arrogant King Ahaz, acting as if he could do without God's help, had unleashed an epidemic of depravity. I have been thinking a lot about our moral choices. We read the Charity chapter in Mere Christianity in class on Friday. When I led the discussion, one student responded that Lewis' words proved "love is a choice." But we must always allow God to reveal the motives and intentions of our hearts as we love. Sin is way more than just making a wrong choice to not love or do the wrong thing.
It brings to mind a quote from Crabb: "Sin is more than wrong choices, more than bad behavior, more than wrong understanding. And it is not a reaction to felt need that deserves tender compassion and patience. Sin cannot be explained, but it can be defined. Sin is defiantly walking past the living water God provides in relationship with Himself and proudly digging wells with one's own resources in the futile and foolish hope of providing for oneself the water needed for a meaningful and secure life." Jeremiah 2:9 -13
John Piper calls it "sweet idolatries in which the longing heart embraces the wrong satsifaction." What are my deep satisfactions this night? Is it my children responding right to me? Is it my husband not "missing" me? Is it my friends responding like I want them to? Is it my God coming through for me? What do I most want?
It brings to mind a quote from Crabb: "Sin is more than wrong choices, more than bad behavior, more than wrong understanding. And it is not a reaction to felt need that deserves tender compassion and patience. Sin cannot be explained, but it can be defined. Sin is defiantly walking past the living water God provides in relationship with Himself and proudly digging wells with one's own resources in the futile and foolish hope of providing for oneself the water needed for a meaningful and secure life." Jeremiah 2:9 -13
John Piper calls it "sweet idolatries in which the longing heart embraces the wrong satsifaction." What are my deep satisfactions this night? Is it my children responding right to me? Is it my husband not "missing" me? Is it my friends responding like I want them to? Is it my God coming through for me? What do I most want?
PHOTO: The Hill Country of Texas.
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