Gentle Reader,
Jesus and I did some business today.
My pastor is currently doing a series on idolatry and I realized that, in the increase of my anxiety, I was falling into some of the same old traps. (Yesterday’s post touched on some of this). I have begun to set certain things on pedestals, things that definitely don’t belong on pedestals.
This realization? Made me angry.
By no means am I an artist, but I took some time this afternoon to draw representations of these idols. I also drew a sledgehammer and asked the Lord to smash these stupid, decaying idols into the dust of oblivion. He told me to do it myself. Oh, the deeply satisfying action of pounding! I imagined myself walking through a room of pedestals, stopping at each one. Deep breaths. A few practice swings to warm up.
WHAM! SMASH! CRASH!
Gone.
Done.
Idols are creepy. Literally. They creep into your life because the Enemy is in the business of enticement. Sometimes we turn our eyes toward death and darkness willingly. Sometimes we are convinced by the mirage that hides the truth. Other times the Devil just comes at you when you’re down, poking at your weak places.
That’s what he’s been doing with me.
Praise God, this time around I recognize the pattern. Certainly I am not out of the woods, not this side of Eternity. But I know what to do now. I know that:
Though I walk in the flesh, I do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of my warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. I am DESTROYING SPECULATIONS and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and I am taking EVERY THOUGHT captive to the obedience of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NASB, personalized and emphasis mine)
Speculations get me nowhere for they aren’t based in truth. Every thought, every last one, must be examined in His light.
When that light reveals some ugliness, you just gotta Hulk smash.
To read all the posts in The Detox Diaries series, go here.
You are in good company. According to Rabbinic midrash (sort of a morality tale or fable, although some branches of Judaism imbue midrash with a reality of its own), Abraham (father of Isaac, grandfather to Jacob) was the original idol smasher as it says in this story. And according to the commentator at that website, Abraham smashed his father’s idols for nearly the same reason you smashed yours.
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Idols deserve to be smashed. Anything that distracts me from sincere devotion to the Lord deserves to be smashed. Otherwise, the idols will smash me.
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I really enjoyed your comical yet serious way of speaking about the topic of idolatry! You may want to check out Kyle Idleman’s book, “gods at war”, which is about idolatry. I think you’d love it!
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Thanks for the suggestion! My pastor has also recommended that book. 🙂
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It’s a sign! Time to read it! 😉
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