Originally written: August 17, 2015
I left off the other day (Shaking the Idols--Part I) asking what it is that you love with all your heart??? I mentioned the daily struggle we all face to conquer the temptation to give all our love to something or someone other than our God. I spoke first of Jimmy Needham's song and secondly about Psalm 51.
In the Lord's great mercy, He took me two other places in the Word of God, as well:
3. Jeremiah 29:11-13
Jeremiah 29:11 is such a popular verse. It sits on the mantle in my family room, and I’ve had it memorized for quite some time. Recently, I’ve been praying for a new memory verse and yesterday Ann was the answer to my prayer! She told me she was memorizing Jeremiah 29:11-13 this time--that so often we stop at verse 11 but that 12 and 13 are critical:
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart…”
“Seek me!” says the Lord, “WITH ALL YOUR HEART.”
It’s amazing to me—just the other day I was reminded in Psalm 91 to seek the Lord. I was reminded that the Lord wants me to call on Him. Jimmy Needham’s song asks what I love with all my heart??? And now…these verses are a reminder to seek Him “with all your heart.” I stop typing for a moment to thank God for His incredible faithfulness in this journey, and for smacking me over the head when I just can’t seem to get it! As I swim laps in the pool (I’m trying to keep up on the exercise!), I repeat this again and again and again. I pray it in my head.
How can I honor you, Lord? How do I shake the idols? He tells me the answer to my question: “You will seek me and FIND me when you seek me with all your heart.” Lord take this from my head to my heart. It is a constant, intentional battle.
4. Daniel 3
This morning I asked the Holy Spirit for direction and He guided me to Daniel 3: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Guess what??? It’s about their refusal (you must go read it!) to bow to idols!!! It’s their commitment to God that gets them thrown into a fire. It’s that same God that saves them. And then God uses their faithfulness to bring others to faith. And I am reminded of my MS. I told Ann this was where the Lord had taken me and what she sent back spoke to my current situation:
“The God we serve is able to deliver us, BUT IF NOT, we will not serve your gods.”
More precisely, Daniel 3:17-18 reads, If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
I know that God is able to deliver me from my MS or from any other trial I might face, but if he does not, I am called to turn to God, and not these other things. I must refuse to allow this world and all its temptation to distract me. I’m working on it… . I must trust in the will of God.
I have to believe the Lord is telling me to keep coming to Him—to admit my brokenness and remember it will only be through Him that I will find the answer on how to beat the idols. I confess to you right now that I am still struggling, that I am still praying. But I tell you that I am committed to praying in this area and believe this God who has orchestrated all these things will orchestrate my ability to conquer my present idols.
I also understand that I will always struggle—something or someone will always be trying to gain all my love and attention. It’s called temptation. Don’t we all struggle in some way with temptations? But I also believe that to grow means to hold on to what He has taught me in my heart. To guard it closely by memorizing Scripture and going to the Lord in prayer.
We must be so intentional!