Psalm 18:1-2 - Personal Altars

MEMORY VERSE:

“I love you, Lord; You are my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;  my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”  Psalm 18:1-2 (NLT)

We live in an imperfect world.  (I’m sure this doesn’t come as a hot news flash.)  The world is filled with imperfect people striving to get ahead and worshiping at their own personal altars; whatever those altars might be...

·         Success

·         Ego

·         Entitlement

·         Financial gain

·         Fitness and health

·         Family

·         Church work

The list of personal altars goes on as long (or perhaps longer, if that’s possible) as the Emmy Award show playing on TV this evening.  Admittedly some days you might find me worshiping at some of these altars. 

Not everything we prioritize is bad.  In fact many of our daily activities benefit those around us.  Quite frequently our motivation for performing various activities comes from a desire to help other people.

So why am I coming down on things like financial gain, fitness and health, family, and church work?  Don’t we need to provide for our families?  Shouldn’t we be concerned about our health?  Aren’t we called to do the work of the church?

The answer to all these questions is a resounding, “Yes”!  We are called and should do all these things.  The point I’m getting at is these activities quickly usurp God’s place in our life. 

I’ll give you an example from my own life.  Over the past four years I’ve focused on becoming physically fit.  I joined Curves and work out three times a week.  I started running this summer and run three times a week as well as working out at Curves.

I've made a conscious decision to grow spiritually and develop a closer relationship with God.  I try to read the Bible every morning and spend time in prayer with God every day.

Did you catch the single word in those two paragraphs pointing to my priorities?  I “try” to read the Bible.  Notice I didn’t say I “try” to work out or I “try” to run.  No, those activities I make time for regardless.

What’s wrong with this picture?  Whose altar am I worshiping at?  Can fitness and health protect me?  Can it be my “rock, my fortress, and my saviour”?  Can it be my “place of safety”?  Of course not!  Only God can do these things.

Intellectually I know this.  Yet when I travel and don’t have time to do both my fitness routine and my reading.  Guess what's left out?

This verse reminds me to get my priorities straight.  I’m so glad that God is a God of mercy who loves us in spite of our flaws; a God who gives us a second, third, fourth, and fifth (etc.) chance to get it right.  It motivates me to realign my activities and put God first.

Are your priorities right?  What altar do you worship at?  Share your thoughts be clicking on “comments” below.

“I love you, Lord; You are my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;  my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”  Psalm 18:1-2 (NLT)

A Dead Wooden God

What God are you worshiping this Christmas? Isaiah makes a fabulous point in chapter 44:13-19. Here’s a brief synopsis of his message...

A carpenter draws up blueprints for a statue. He carefully selects an appropriate tree and cuts it down. He wastes nothing of the tree; using it as fuel for his fire to heat his home and cook his food. He holds a part of the tree back and fashions it into a statue. He sets the statue on the mantle, calls it his god and bows down and worships it.

Where’s the logic in this?!? How can a statue made from the same tree as the wood that heated the house and cooked the food be a god? Once the tree is cut down it’s dead. The statue is just a dead piece of wood.

Can the statue create? Can it communicate? Can it control day and night, wind and rain, moon and stars and sun? Can it inexplicably cure cancer and restore someone to complete health? Can it bring peace and joy into your life? Can you have a relationship with a dead piece of wood? Can it offer you forgiveness and freedom from the mess you’ve made of your life?

It’s fairly easy to see the obvious answer to these questions is a resounding, “NO”. There’s no possible way a dead piece of wood can do any of these things no matter how many times you ask it. Most of us don’t go out and buy statues, bring them home, call them our gods and start a religion around worshiping them. Let’s consider a question a little closer to home.

Can you have a personal relationship with your big screen TV? (No, bonding with it for four hours every night to watch reality shows doesn’t count.) Will you find unending happiness and inexplicable joy in your new BMW or will it only bring you debt and stress once the initial pride of ownership wears off? What about the job that’s taken the place of your family? Can it bring you freedom and unconditional acceptance? We’re not so different than the people Isaiah speaks to. Our idols are just more subtle.

This Christmas let’s take time to quietly reflect on what god we’ve been worshiping and what god we plan to worship in 2012. If you look for Him you’ll find the Christ child. The true, living God lying humbly in a manger, not forcing Himself into your life, but extending an open invitation for you to welcome Him into your heart.

What god are you worshiping this Christmas?

Mentorship - Shaping People's Lives

Is there someone in your life you respect or admire? Someone who is a positive influence?  Someone who helped shape the person you are today because they cared enough to take time to listen and teach you?

Parents, aunts, uncles, family friends, teachers, grandparents, and pastors all make a significant difference in the life of a child if they are willing to take the time to listen patiently, teach, and when necessary, lovingly discipline.  As adults we can hone our talents, gifts and faith if we are able to find a knowledgeable person who is willing to mentor us in our quest to learn and grow. A great example of the influence an adult can have in a child’s life is seen in the initial rule of King Joash of Judah (2 Chronicles 23–24:1-14)

Let’s take a quick look at Joash’s relatives leading up to his reign. Joash’s grandfather, Jehoram, starts his reign by killing all his brothers – presumably so no one will usurp his throne. He worships pagan gods, leading all of Judah into idolatry. Eventually he is afflicted by what is termed “a severe intestinal disease” (2 Chronicles 21:18) and dies an agonizing death. The last verse of 2 Chronicles 21 sums up his reign succinctly by stating, “...No one was sorry when he died.” Ahaziah, Joash’s father, reigns as king of Judah for only one year before he is killed. The historical account of Ahaziah includes the words, “...He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord...” 2 Chronicles 22:4. Trust me this really isn’t the way you want the historical record of your reign as king to read!

Joash’s grandfather and father aren’t exactly a positive influence in his life, but wait until you hear about his grandmother! When Athaliah (Joash’s grandmother), finds out her son is dead she goes on a killing rampage targeting the entire royal family because she doesn’t want anyone ruling in her place. Talk about dysfunctional family!

Joash is just a baby when his grandmother goes on her killing spree and would certainly have perished. His aunt who is married to Jehoiada, the high priest, intervenes and steals Joash away, hiding him in the temple. He remains there for six years under the care of his aunt and her husband, Jehoiada. (2 Chronicles 22:10-12)

Eventually Joash’s evil grandmother is overthrown. At the tender age of seven Joash becomes king and is guided, taught and mentored by Jehoiada.  He reigns for 40 years and, “...Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” (2 Chronicles 24:2) Now that’s what you want to see written on your epitaph as king! As long as Jehoiada is alive Joash thrives under his instruction and walks faithfully with the Lord.

Next week we’ll look at the flip side of Joash’s story. We’ll see what happens in the absence of a mentor and explore the damaging effects of peer pressure.

Early on in my career I worked as a secretary for the co-ordinator of a department in one of the hospitals in Winnipeg. I was in my early twenties and still very impressionable. I learned many lessons from this wonderful lady. She modeled exemplary work ethic, positive attitude in the midst of a stressful and chaotic department and she always had a kind word of encouragement for her staff. Each morning she would come into the office with a big grin on her face and say, “It’s a great day”, and you knew she genuinely meant it.

By watching her I learned you can choose the attitude you have each day (and a positive attitude is way more fun than a negative attitude), I learned to work hard and to serve people and I learned to manage stress in the work place (that one took a few more lessons over the years before I mastered it, but I caught the early glimpses of what stress management should look like).  It’s been 20 years since I worked for her but last year I took a few minutes and wrote her a note explaining the impact she made in my life and how much I appreciated the things I learned working for her. 

Joash’s life could have been very different had it not been for the patient instruction of Jehoiada.  My career may have been very different had it not been for the influence of this lovely lady in my early working years. Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone’s life. Look around you. Is there a young person you can help by offering some guidance? Do you need someone to mentor you in your faith journey? Has someone new started in your office and needs a little help?

Comment below if you’ve mentored someone or been mentored yourself.

The Golden Calf Debacle...Repeated?

I’ve been reading the book of 1 Kings in the Bible and came across an interesting event leading up to the division of the Israelite kingdom. Early in Solomon’s reign as king over the ancient Israelites God makes a covenant with him promising Solomon great wisdom, riches, a long life and a descendant on the throne of Israel forever if he follows God faithfully. God also issues a warning stating if Solomon doesn’t remain faithful Israel will be driven out of the promised land and the kingdom will fall. (1 Kings 3:10-14 and 9:1-9) Solomon honours this agreement for a large part of his life but towards the end of his reign his dedication to God becomes weak. Because of the influence of his many wives Solomon begins to worship other gods. Solomon’s unfaithfulness in following God effectively breaks the earlier covenant and a prophet is sent to deliver a message from God to a man by the name of Jeroboam. Jeroboam is told the twelve tribes of Israel will be split after Solomon’s death and God will make him ruler over ten of the tribes while Solomon’s son will retain rule over the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. The prophet goes on to explain to Jeroboam the promise from God which states if he walks in God’s ways, following God’s commands he will be king of Israel and the kingdom will prosper (1 Kings 11:26-40).

Wow, what a promise! Jeroboam has just been guaranteed by God that he will be king of Israel. The reason for Solomon losing his kingship has been spelled out in black and white terms. Jeroboam has been a member of Solomon’s staff and has seen firsthand the “what not to do if you want to rule God’s people of Israel".  The “how to’s of maintaining kingship of Israel” couldn’t be made any clearer. Jeroboam should have a bright future! Wouldn’t we if we were told by a prophet in no uncertain terms exactly what we had to do in order to secure God’s promise in our lives?

We don’t know anything about Jeroboam’s character or personality. All we know is that he was a servant to Solomon. I imagine life as a king is probably fairly stressful, especially when you’ve got an irate son of the previous king breathing down your neck, seeking retribution for stealing his throne. Perhaps Jeroboam lacked self-confidence as a leader, whatever the reason, not too long into his reign Jeroboam becomes a little paranoid about the control he has over Israel. The temple where people go to worship God is in Jerusalem which is still under the rule of Solomon’s son. We’re told that Jeroboam suddenly becomes fearful that the people going to worship God in the temple will pledge their allegiance to Solomon’s son. In his fear Jeroboam loses sight of God’s promise and fails to trust God. In 1 Kings 12:25-28 (the passages telling the story of Jeroboam’s downfall) there isn’t one word that even so much as hints Jeroboam took this fear to God in prayer, or turned to God for strength. In verse 28 he takes matters into his own hands and makes two gold calves, telling the people of Israel, “...It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt.” What!!!! Did he learn nothing from his people’s history as they journeyed with God in the wilderness? Surely the golden calf debacle of Aaron has been told over and over through generations, and yet here is Jeroboam repeating the same mistake almost word for word! Dare I be so blunt as to say...how stupid can you get?!?

I can say it but then I’d be forced to examine my own life and realize that perhaps I’m not quite as superior as I might like to think. How many times in my life have I repeated mistakes I’ve made or seen others make? We’ve all heard the popular definition of insanity, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I don’t know if this definition applies to repeating other people’s actions and expecting different results than they got but if so perhaps we’re all insane! As teenagers our parents try to save us from pain by sharing their experiences with us, but of course we know better than they do and must forge ahead, making the same painful mistakes they made. This behaviour doesn’t always end with our teenage years. Quite often it plagues us in our relationships as adults. We find ourselves trapped in patterns of behaviour we know are damaging and yet we persist in them. Human nature? Weakness? Insanity? Rebellion? Low self esteem?

What can we learn from the mistakes of Jeroboam? What can we learn from our own mistakes? We’re human. We continue to make mistakes as we navigate through life, but it’s crucial that we learn from them. We need to invite God into our lives, allowing Him to work in our hearts. We need to learn from our experiences. We need to humble ourselves, admit our mistakes, admit that we’re wrong and strive not to repeat the same mistakes. We need to learn from the lives of others – those around us and those we read about in history and in the bible. This isn’t to say we inflict judgment on these people (remember you may react in exactly the same manner if placed in a similar situation). It’s simply to say read and learn what not to do, what to avoid and how to live a Godly life. Are there mistakes in your life you’re repeating or a pattern of behaviour you know you need to break? Pray about it, ask God to identify it, seek counsel or guidance if you need help to change it and see what God can do in your life.

World's Largest...Fiery Serpent??

When you drive across the three prairie provinces of Canada (that would be Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta for those of you not familiar with Canadian geography) you find an interesting phenomenon in a surprisingly large number of small, rural communities. What is this phenomenon you ask? It’s the “world’s largest” or “Canada’s largest” or “North American’s largest” or “just a really big” statue phenomenon. Need a little more explanation? OK, let’s name a few:

1.       Gladstone, Manitoba – has the “happy rock”      Gladstone...happy rock (get it?)

2.       Flin Flon, Manitoba has the status of Flintabbatey Flonatin (try googling that one for a historical explanation)

3.       Elm Creek, Manitoba (my home town) has the fire hydrant. (Talk about dog heaven!)

4.       Canora, Saskatchewan has the Ukrainian lady

5.       Beiseker, Alberta has Squirt, the skunk (not sure why you’d choose a skunk for a mascot)

6.       Torrington, Alberta has the statue of the gopher named Clem T. Go-Fur to commemorate the location of the Gopher Hole Museum (a very unique tourist attraction that has to be seen to be fully appreciated!)

I could go on and on...and on, but you get the point. An astounding number of rural communities have their “claim to fame” statue.  Apparently erecting statues isn’t restricted to our time. The Israelites also had a statue of sorts, although it wasn’t erected for fame, fortune or as a tourist attraction. It was erected at the direction of God to save people’s lives!  

In Numbers 21:4 the Israelites are complaining yet again about their circumstances. Rather than appreciating the fact that they’re freed from slavery in Egypt the Israelites are whining about the manna they have to eat and actually go so far as to accuse God and Moses of bringing them into the wilderness to die. To teach them a lesson God sends “fiery serpents” (which is another way of saying poisonous snakes) among the Israelites and many become sick and die from the venom. Needless to say, this quickly brings the Israelites to their senses. They ask Moses to pray to God for forgiveness and to remove the snakes...enter the “snake on a pole”. God tells Moses to make the form of a snake and attach it to a long pole. He says that anyone to looks at the snake will be healed. The bronze snake is placed in a prominent spot in the Israelite camp and anyone who trusts in and believes God’s word, looks on the bronze snake and is healed.

We could leave it there but the bronze snake is mentioned once more in the Old Testament.  In

2 Kings 18 Hezekiah has come into power in Judah. He loves God and is disgusted with the idolatry going on throughout the territory. He begins to clean up Judah’s act by destroying the idols the Israelites are worshiping and what do you thing he has to destroy? 2 Kings 18:4 says, “...He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it.” The Israelites took what God meant to serve a specific purpose, refused to discard it when it no longer served that purpose, carried it with them throughout their years in the wilderness and eventually began to worship it!

The giant statues we visit as tourist attractions are a fun diversion from the monotony of long distance driving. I’m not saying these statues are idols, but I think we can all examine our lives closely to determine exactly what has become an idol that eats up time that could be God’s. Is it the television, computer games, your job, your volunteer work, money, or your busy schedule? There may be other things that come to mind for you. Perhaps it’s time to “clean house” as Hezekiah did and break up the idols we’ve been dragging around with us for the past few years. What are some of the statues you've seen in your travels? What are some of the things in your life that have become idols? Click on "comments" below to share your thoughts.