5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches? (Psalm 49:5-6)
Fear and idolatry go hand in hand. The more we rely on the fleeting things of this world, the more we set ourselves up for incredible heartbreak. If we could only tally the times these things have fallen short, we could plainly see the sham of chasing after such things. Jesus is clear with His call to allegiance for He knows the shallow reality of the life we settle for. This fear is prevalent because it bases our lives on the insecure and the temporary when Christ calls us to sure up our footing on the solid rock of His grace. I believe we fail to trust in Him because we fail to count the times He has been trustworthy. Of His grace, there is no end.
Idolatry is valuing something more than you value God
When we think of idolatry, it is easy to harken thoughts of tribes in distant lands who so readily sacrifice to golden statues of monkeys and moon rocks that fell from the sky. It is easy for us to dismiss and make fun of such cultures, failing to see that perhaps our brand of idolatry is more detrimental.
Of course many of us would recognize the chase for wealth and popularity as idolatry, but its reach is far more insidious than we sometimes recognize. Good things like family and church preference can also be idolatrous. It is a trademark of the enemy to take the good and pervert it with sin. More times than not, the want for possessions is sinful. There is a reason Christ spoke so often on money. This was not because He hates resources or seeing us thrive but because He knows ultimately these things fail to give us the outcome we wish for – the outcome only He can provide. He warns us violently against the violent idols we so disastrously cling to. This is His protection. His message is always extreme for it calls us out of our rested complacency and into a true life which has no rival. Today, we let go. Today, we cling.
Lord, break our grasps on the things of this world. Forgive us for valuing the fleeting over the eternal. Give us a Kingdom minded passion that wishes for the deep things only you provide. Give us more of yourself.
Matt simon blog 