God was about to renew the covenant with Jacob, so Jacob
tells everyone in his household to "put away the foreign gods among
you." It seems that idolatry was an
ongoing presence from nearly the beginning.
I recall in an earlier reading that Rachel had stolen her father's idols
when then left home.
I wonder why Jacob did not destroy them? Why did he bury them under a tree where they
could be dug back up at a future time?
But aren't I like this sometimes? There is something that I know I need to let
go out of my life, but I don't do it completely. I leave the door cracked. I bury it rather than burn in. I tuck it away out of sight, but I don't
smash it. Why is this? Do I not really believe that I can be content
without it? If so, do I not realize that
this is Satan's lie? After all, he is
the one that convinced Adam and Eve that taking what they should not have would
make them wise and open their eyes. Can
I not learn a lesson from this?
How do I convince others in my life to let go if I do not completely
let go? We all need to let go of that
secret sin, of underlying grudges, of anger, pride and self-righteous judgmentalism. These are the sorts of things that destroy
marriages, jobs, families, and congregations.
If I am truly going to destroy these things, I need to bring them to him
in prayer, then truly destroy them, not bury them where I can dig them back up
later.
Lord help me to completely destroy the idols in my
life. Help me to truly let go of the
desire to get even. Help me to destroy
the anger, grudges, and pride that harm myself and those whom I love. Help me to see that I do not need these
things. As you were patient with Jacob,
you have been patient with us. Thank you
for your mercy and patience.
No comments:
Post a Comment