Today’s scripture: Isaiah 41:21-29 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
It’s events like these that bring us down to our knees and cause us to seek God with every ounce of our shocked, sometimes angry, often trembling selves. God certainly plays no part in causing things like these to happen, yet they often spur a realization of what’s truly important. They cause us to understand deep in our spirits that just a few moments of close connection with a loved one, or a moment of union with God in the refreshing breeze of a summer morning, are treasures of life that far surpass all else. A purification happens in our souls as we look to God as our Abba, a beloved Poppa who protects us; and as our Mother as well, a dear Momma who birthed us and nurtures us from spiritual infancy. God as Mother and Father is with us as we cry out in bewilderment.
In this section of scripture, I see God trying to wake up the people of Israel to what’s really important so they can avoid a calamity. In order to do so, they have to get rid of all the distractions, the idols that had taken God’s place in their hearts. They have to see that their idols are NOT glorious; they are nothing. As Jeremiah 2:13 says, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah bluntly states that, in the process of idolatry, God is forsaken. That’s a strong word. We NEVER want to forsake our spouse, our children, our parents, our best friends, or anyone else we love. But, when we love something to the point that it pushes God out of our hearts, we forsake God. We think we can get the supernatural, living water another way. So we start digging, but our motivation is different. Notice Jeremiah says they dug cisterns FOR THEMSELVES! Before, their motivation and goal was to find GOD. But now, the driving force is me, myself, and I. And the wells hold water for a while – long enough for the people to think, “We got just what we wanted!” And then, one day, the well is dry, and they are shocked at the calamity.
The challenge we all face is: What is my modern-day version of idolatry? It deeply disappoints me to say that I believe idols are just as common in the 21st century as they were in the age of Isaiah. They’re just different. Our challenge, then, is to love God enough to develop the insight to determine if we have idols, and, if so, what they are.
So here are some idolatry-detecting questions: 1) What stirs my passion, my desire, and my emotions to such a degree that — much as I hate to admit it — it pulls me away from God? 2) What do I look forward to so much that it pushes God out of my life? 3) What is taking portions of my time, my money, and my heart that needs to go to God? The challenge is to admit that I’ve been wrong. Remember the story of the Forgiving Father and the Prodigal Son! Remember that God won’t shame you one step of the way during this process. We’re masters at shaming ourselves, but God knows that, instead of shame, AMAZING GRACE is the way to help us face our mistakes and change!
Prayer for the day: Thank you, precious Lord, that as I shed a tear for the empty cisterns I’ve dug, You help me find my way back to your living Fountain and partake of Your glorious holy water, the only water that truly quenches my thirst.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.