These two pictures (one above, one below) of Samuel, my son, illustrate an important reality in our lives about sin and, in particular, the sin of idolatry. I know what you're thinking, how could something as adorably appealing as toddler illustrate something as gruesome as sin? That's my point exactly! You see, so often we throw ourselves into pursuits and pleasures that are appealing but clearly contrary to God's loving will for our lives. The result may be a certain amount of bliss (pictured above), at least for a little while. We forsake God for the box of lust, pride, greed, gluttony, lying, etc. and perhaps at first we smile while in the box. However, the picture of Samuel below illustrates what inevitably happens when we put ourselves in the box of sinful self-centeredness instead of in the hands of a loving and holy God. We get caught in our own idolatrous box!The good news is that when we cry out for help, as Samuel did not hesitate to do, our heavenly Father picks us up and frees us from the boxes we find ourselves in. If you find yourself somewhat trapped in a self-imposed box, cry out to God with a fervent desire to be forgiven and freed. He will come to you, pick you up and whisper lovingly in your ear, "be holy as I am holy."
2 comments:
Hi Pastor Lenny,
As we discussed this past Saturday during the Men’s Breakfast at SWC, suffering the consequences of sin will help us be done with sin; because the suffering will hopefully cause us to cry out for help from Jesus.
We studied 1 Peter 4:3 (NIV)-For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
Since 1 Peter was written at 60 AD, we concluded that not much has changed over the centuries. A major modern day contributing factor is a box we watch every day. The television commercials are a major diversion promoting sin.
Satan is a great distracter. He must have been behind the invention of the cable box-500 channels of pure junk. As 1 Corinthians 10:12 states-So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! It is so easy to fall into Satan’s boxes resulting in bliss, but you will never be happy for long.
Let’s face it. We all want to be happy. And we all realize, sooner or later, that outer success, money and sin do not produce lasting happiness.
So what does? Loving God, ourselves and others is the only way to true happiness. In fact, we can only love God and others authentically, when we love ourselves. In God’s loving plan, he made it possible to have a fulfilling life on earth and eternal life in heaven.
God Bless
Brad
Thoughtful insights, Brad. Yes, the TV is a subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, venue for Satan to lull us toward lust, greed, gluttony, pride, etc. Watching less TV can only help us focus on "whatever is noble," to quote from the Apostle Paul.
Blessings and see you soon.
Lenny
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