A Message from Liz - Thank You!

[Kathy]

Hi Kathy,

I think this is what we started talking about today at Bible break.
Not sure if it's too much to post on the general list. It is kind of
a repeat of what was said. Interesting that I'm reading it now.
Guess God's trying to get something through the 1st 4 layers again!

Blessings,
Liz

September 29, 2009

A Mere Piece of Bronze

Marybeth Whalen

"He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down
the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had
made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to
it. (It was called Nehushtan)." II Kings 18:4 (NIV)


Devotion:

I used to have a quote, cut from a magazine article, taped above my
desk. I can't recall the exact quote, but the gist of it was that
while our children are gifts from God, it's easy to let them become
little idols. I remember the shock value of reading those words
printed on the page. My children? Idols? It sounded like heresy! But
as I allowed the words to sink in, I realized that the person who
penned those words was right. Most anything can become an idol in our
hearts -becoming more important than our relationship with God, taking
priority over His place in our life.

In Numbers 21:8-9, God told the Israelites to raise a bronze snake on
a pole and look to it in order to be healed. Seven hundred years
later, the Israelites had gotten off track. They had turned that snake
- something that was God's idea -into an idol they worshiped. In our
verse for today, we see Hezekiah destroying the snake in an effort to
turn the people's hearts back to God. The word Nehushtan in the verse
means "a mere piece of bronze." The bronze snake was not the answer to
the people's problems. They had attached too much significance to it.
Hezekiah had no choice but to refocus their attention where it needed
to be by physically removing the idol.

Idols can take many forms in our lives. Family members and friends can
become idols. Doctors and medicine can become idols. Work and hobbies
can become idols. Entertainment - movies, TV, music, games - can
become idols. Food can become an idol. An idol by definition is
anything that we place our trust in, anything that takes precedence
over God. While we may not pray to it and burn incense to it, it
becomes more important than anything, including God. Just like God
designed the snake to be a good thing in the lives of His people, so
He allows us to have good things in our lives. He just doesn't want us
to get things out of whack, as we are prone to do. It's not that the
thing itself is the problem; it's our attitude about that thing.

God showed me that I needed to destroy any idols in my life. For me, I
had to spend a lot of time refocusing my priorities. I started with
how important I had made my husband and children. Yes, my family
needed me. Yes, I needed to spend time with them. Yes, I loved them
dearly. But they couldn't take the place of my relationship with the
Lord. I had to put them in their proper place and renew my
perspective.

This can only be done with intentionality and continual heart work.
God gives us good things to enjoy - family and friends and work and
food and hobbies and entertainment. But He has also given us Himself,
opening the door wide for us to come before His throne. May we keep
good things in their place and keep God on the throne of our lives.

Dear Lord, please get my attention when I get distracted. Help me to
keep the good things in my life where they belong and to keep You
first. Help me destroy any idols I have placed ahead of You. In Jesus'
Name, Amen.