Golden Calves

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2030-32&version=NIV

I wrote this to a friend of mine several years ago (to prevent speculation about who it was, it is no one that anyone on this blog knows). The back story is this individual came to me confessing a struggle with alcohol. There was some pretty heavy drinking involved, including a few trips to the emergency room for alcohol poisoning. Lots of staying out all night, and some serious regrets about decisions made in a drunken state. In a search to find some way to remind themselves of the trouble the alcohol lead to, this friend said they even considered putting the hospital identification band back on their wrist as a reminder. I committed to praying for my friend, and this came out of my prayers and is what I shared with them.

The reason I share this today is because it is so appropriate for the passage about the golden calf. But I am also certain that while your struggle today or in the past might be very different from that of my friend or of myself, the basic plot is the same. It is my prayer that these truths that God gave me for my struggling friend might be truths he wants you to know also. Here is what I wrote:

When I was praying for you in church this morning, God reminded me of something I studied a few weeks ago. We were reading about The Golden Calf in Exodus 32. I encourage you to go back and read it, but to summarize, Moses is up on Mount Sinai getting the Ten Commandments. And, despite all God had done for them, the people got a little nervous without their leader there (remember, they couldn’t got directly to God – it’s old covenant, they communicated with God through Moses). So, they ask Aaron to make them a god who will go before them. Their gold is collected, melted down, and shaped into a golden calf that they worshiped. When I read this, I thought, “Are you kidding me? They took this thing they themselves created, assigned it some sort of power – although who knows where that power would come from – and worshiped it. Boy, were they stupid.”

But, our good and gracious Father God, who disciplines us like we are his children, tapped me on the side of the head and said, “Carol, as if you’ve never done that. Should we go back and remember?” And I have done it – I’ve taken things that this world has created, or my own abilities, and worshiped them in the place of God. And unlike the children of Israel who relied on Moses to speak to God or deliver words from God, the God I serve is the God of the New Covenant – a God I have direct access to – a God who confides himself in us (Psalm 25:14). He is a God who generously promised us wisdom if we only ask and believe (James 1:5-6) - which makes me marginally more stupid than the Israelites. But we all do it – we look to food, drink, other people, money, etc. to give us what we need, to fill us, to fix us, to make a feel a little better. In essence, we assign those things – things that are created by man – some sort of power. Ridiculous, isn’t it? But it is so easily done.

I’m reminded of the verses in Romans 1:21-23;25 – “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking came futile and their foolish hearts where darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles….They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the creator – who is forever to be praised.

I remember when I first really took hold of the truth of that last verse. It was when I was obsessive about working out and trying to find my self worth through the way I looked. I was serving my body image and not my God. I felt so foolish when God put that truth in front of me. But like our amazingly merciful God, he also used that truth to begin a healing process.

I share all of that with you because generally, when we are hanging out with things of this world that we know aren’t good for us, it’s because we are doing one or both of the following things. First, we often are looking to that thing to provide something to us. And second, we’re buying into some type of lie. So ask yourself these two questions. First, what are you thinking the alcohol is going to do for you? Is it about stress relief, relaxation, personality enhancement? And what lies are you buying about it? Same with the late night partying – are you buying the lie that you’ll miss something if you go home? Consider those things. In other words, time to figure out what’s going on in your world or what have you lost hold of. And then ask yourself these two things: The things that I’ve allowed myself to go back to – can they really give me anything that an almighty, supernatural God cannot? And those lies you are buying – test them against Phil. 4:8 (whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy) and see if they stand up or if they are the lies of the world. And if they answers don’t come – ask God to show you. I 100% guarantee that he will.

Next, I want you to know that everyone takes backward steps in their walks. God knows that. That’s why it says in Eph. 1:8 that he forgives with wisdom and understanding in James 4:6 that he gives us more grace. And the beautiful thing about our God is that generally when we take one step back, he’ll bring us five steps forward. He is so faithful.

My challenge to you this week is this – instead of taking that hospital bracelet and putting it back on as a reminder, I challenge you to set aside 30 min. every day of just pure quiet time with no distractions and meditate on God’s word and pray. Let the firm planting of God’s truth be your reminder. Ask God for that – ask him to show you all your idols, and then show you what he wants you to know, to plant his truth firmly in your heart, and to turn your eyes on him. Again, I guarantee he will do this because it is a prayer according to his will. However, you are responsible for listening and responding to him. Here are some things to meditate on:

The book of James – esp. James 4:4-8. Take special note of these truths – Friendship with the world is hatred of God (can’t serve both masters). Second, the Spirit envies intensely – for our full devotion. Third, God gives us more grace. Fourth – if we resist the devil (and we can ask God to give us that resistance) he will flee from us. Lastly, if you come near to God, he will come near to you.

Meditate on who you are – 1 Peter 2:9-10 (Actually, that whole chapter is good)

Ask God to do some work on renewing your mind – but participate in the process - Romans 12:1-2

What I’ve learned in my journey is there is so much more we can do for ourselves simply by being in the word, sitting down, praising, confessing, asking, and yielding to God, being still before him, and allowing himself to plant is truth in us, then anything else we could possibly do. See, God is a God who has everything handled. Sometimes its rough going, sometimes we don’t see how, and sometimes we don’t feel him, but he’s a sovereign, supernatural, holy God. He perfect in wisdom and love and has a plan and a purpose for you. He knows your strengths and your limitations better than you and so we just have to go before him and let him move in our lives to make us the people he wants us to be, to take us to the places he wants us to go, and to use us in the way he wants to. Be still.

Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels