Written by Dawn Rutan
The messages I heard Sunday in Sunday school and in the church service have melded together in my thinking this week. In Sunday school we’ve been talking about idols, which can be anything that we allow to take priority over God, and can even include good things. And the sermon was on the Christian practices that should point us to God but can sometimes lose their primary purpose.
I think a lot of church goers have made an idol of Christian practices and have entirely lost sight of loving God. It seems more obvious in the Catholic Church, where members are careful to attend mass, go to confession, and say their rosary, but may not have any clear understanding of Jesus as their Savior. However, Protestants can fall into the same trap. How many Bible scholars can quote chapter and verse but have no love for God and others? Some have called seminaries “Pharisee factories.” I think it was Mark Driscoll who gave an example of a pastors conference he spoke at when he was fairly new in ministry, and some of the older ministers there confessed that they were only preaching because it was the only job they knew. They’d never really known God for themselves and didn’t believe the things they preached.
Bringing it a little closer to home, how many even in our churches can quote the “Sunday school answer” to most questions and are satisfied with that level of knowledge? They don’t care to dig deeper, apply their knowledge, or wrestle with the hard questions of life. It seems that only God can impart a desire for more, and many times that desire comes when we are broken from all our self-sufficiency and comfort. We aren’t likely to discard our idols if we think they are working. As C.S. Lewis said, we’re far too easily satisfied. If we’re comfortable with superficial knowledge and just doing enough to “get by,” then why should we jump into deeper waters?
Do we really want to wrestle with God if we know we’ll end up with a permanent limp like Jacob (Genesis 32)? Is it even possible to convince the comfortable that brokenness is actually preferable? It is in brokenness that we learn that God upholds us (Psalm 37:17); in emptiness that we find fullness of joy at His side (Psalm 16:11); and in weakness we find His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). I don’t think you can appreciate the blessings of brokenness if you haven’t been there yourself.
I love the following song by Sidewalk Prophets, “Keep Making Me.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI1obeb3A9c Is this something that we dare to pray? God just might answer by tearing down all our comfortable “Christian” idols!
