Deuteronomy 9:21 Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+9%3A12-21&version=NIV
Disappointment is real. Everyone at some time or another will have to deal with life when something happens that causes them to be disappointed. It may be a child that disappoints you. After all you did changing diapers, sitting up late night while they coughed, baseball, basketball, track meets and soccer games , and now they tell you after one semester in college just how wrong you were. Disappointment. You put your hope and trust in someone, they seemed so nice and polite and then they drop an emotional bomb on you or act highly inappropriately, Disappointment. You study hard for a test you need to pass, only to see a “F” or a “D”. Disappointment. Of all the disappointments in this life I don’t think there is a disappointment greater than having an expectation of GOD that isn’t met.
When we feel GOD has disappointed us, when we go through a season when our prayers seem to go no further than the room we are in, when sickness and pain are an ever present reminder that GOD has not answered our prayer for healing, when these and countless other things happen, what do we do? How do we navigate the minefield of broken dreams and dreams deferred? Some of us, I dare say most of us look for the quick fix. It is easier to find something, anything that feels good and familiar, than it is to wrestle with our situation until we recognize GOD is an ever present help in our time of trouble, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Our challenge today is to recognize the idols in our life. When I reference idols I am referencing those things that take the place of GOD. I am not simply referencing the obvious golden calves in life, like alcohol or sex, and food. I am challenged today to even think how it may be possible to make an idol out of the Bible and other faith practices. I sense at times that we engage in an act of “bibliolitry”. By this I mean we pick and choose aspects of scripture that make us feel good and limit ourselves to those texts. We look to the given (Bible) and not the giver (GOD). As such our understandings remain static, comfortable, and in some ways devoid of their power. GOD is dynamic. The word of GOD is described as the “Living Word”. If the word is living how does our interpretation of it remain static? We are challenged each time we encounter scripture to dig deeper and ask GOD, “what are you saying to me today”? We run a risk when we assume a meaning and become spiritually lazy. This laziness leads to idols which remain static. The golden claf had no life and could give no life, but it made the people feel better.
As you go and grow through this season of Lent I invite you to examine your life and rid yourself of any idols.
Prayer: Creator GOD, forgive us for our idols. We realize that we have become distracted by disappointment and chosen ways to self soothe that are not in line with your intent for our lives. We apologize for making golden calves to take you place. Help us through our Lenten disciplines to increase our faith in the midst of our failure. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jeshua we pray, AMEN
Application for today: Read Psalm 23:1 nine times placing emphasis on a different word each time. Call a loved one and say Happy Wednesday, see how they respond.
Additional Scriptures
Hebrews 3:12-19 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+9%3A12-21&version=NIV
Psalm 49 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+49&version=NIV
40 Days of Lenten Meditations 