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Idol Hearts

Ezekiel 14:3 

Idolaters Condemned


14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’
6 “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!

 Ezekiel tells us that we all are "idols of the heart". 

Jeremiah tells us that "The heart is DECEITFUL above all things, and DESPERATELY sick, who can understand it? -Jeremiah 17:9

In Psalm 37:8  Says "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil."
Fret meaning: To produce a hole or worn spot in; corrode. Or to disturb the surface of (water or a stream); agitate. Defining this allowed me to understand Proverbs 20:5 "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." Our hearts can eat themselves away, our hearts have invisible idols that we cannot see because they act out like deep waters. 


We have corroded hearts, hearts that so easily draw away from God the moment we stop seeking  his face.

The moment we choose to trust and fear, in something or someone outside of Christ is the moment we've made idols in our hearts. The moment we find comfort in something outside of God, we've created an altar in our hearts where our invisible god's dwell and are made much of.

For me its control, and pleasing people, friendships,ME  <----- "That's what God has shown me recently". He knows how much I can take ....I'm pretty sure there are more idols that in time he will reveal and kill. 

 Dee Bresten once said "Leaders know how things should be run and even when they pray they tell God how to do it."

Like a child I go to God and show him a painting ...doodles actually,  of how HE the Creator of the created should run my life, and the lives of other people.  "Secretly I think he puts that drawing on HIS fridge and calls it precious..." Because He loves me. 

I lay upon friendships an unhealthy weight of expectation... CONDITIONAL? Unfortunately  yes.

In the deepness of my heart lies the idol of ME... who thinks she deserves more because of what she's been through, because of what she's sacrificed, because of what she has done.

A corroded heart...like David, but when rebuked by Nathan we see that repentance that Ezekiel talks about through PSALM 51 CREATE in ME a CLEAN HEART 

 Lines 16-17 
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

 Understanding this was hard and PAINFUL
I felt beaten, like a failure, broken because I had failed my first Love. 

 And all he said was Repent...That's what I had to do... along with asking for forgiveness.
I WILL RECAPTURE her HEART -He Promised...
I will allure her into the wilderness he told her.
I will love her. He died and rose again!




I could not grasp, I could not understand why He could love us ...why he would continue loving me...
And then It hit me. God's Love is not dependent on us...But I am ...
I am dependent on others thoughts, words, and actions towards me, when I am called to be dependent on GOD alone.


 My heart is a factory maker of idols ... 
What do I trust? Jesus....and people.  
What do I fear, El que diran... translation.. What would people say ?
What brings me comfort? Affirmation. 
There is the hope, that I in Christ's strength can overcome.


Ask me again 
Who do I trust? Yahweh
Who do I fear? The Creator
Who comforts me? JESUS

 You're not alone ... In this
My Brother, my sister, you are not alone. 


Comments

  1. Adan KarrDecember 28, 2012 at 9:49 AM

    Jocelyn,

    Thank you for keeping it 100. "What bring me comfort - affirmation."

    It sucks that we often hold man's approval so high - higher than God Almighty... I am guilty… it’s so easy to make idols out of nothing. We really are “Idol making machines.”

    God’s grace is so precious… “all he said was repent.”

    “God’s love is not dependant on us” you’re right, BOOM!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jocelyn Berenice LopezDecember 28, 2012 at 10:54 AM

      That's why he is able to love us AGAPE...in our flesh we're so conditional :/ Thank you Adan for sharing! I think of how the people in Egypt saw the waters part ...and years later people made their own idols out of clay...They saw GOD make a miracle and chose to serve their made up God. Sad thing is ...our hearts form is not different from them.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2013 at 10:02 PM

    Beautiful and Honest !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jocelyn Berenice LopezFebruary 5, 2013 at 8:31 PM

      Thank you my sister it was hard to put it out there but when you're called to do somthing we best do it to bring HIM Glory!

      Delete

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