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| by Chris Van Den Berg |
Yesterday we began a sermon series on the ten commandments. It was an introduction but a couple of the points the pastor made were poignant, and lessons God has been teaching me a lot lately.
“You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3 ESV)
C.S Lewis says
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
I feel like God has been doing just that. Sometimes it hurts SO much. It is disappointing when my ideas are not realized. I was brought up in the typical middle class philosophy of getting a job, making money, getting married and owning a home. When I was younger I rebelled against "typical" and was set on making my own way, when my own way wasn't working I set on "typical" which made me just as miserable. I find that every time I become lord of my own life, I am miserable and broken. My hand opens up and I surrender another piece of my house to God.
How many more idols are still hidden in my heart? Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV) Rip them out of my heart and let me know the joy of Jesus, whose only God was You. Let me follow your laws, that I might have a functioning relationship with you.
