Day 1617

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, August 20.

 

When we turn to idols, we are seeking after one of four things: comfort, approval, control, or power. Christian counselors often call these the four core or source idols, meaning that one of these four deep desires is at the heart (control center) of our adulterous worship. As we have learned from the thematic imagery of Hosea, idolatry is spiritual adultery. In the same way that there will be devastation when seeking sexual satisfaction outside of the covenant relationship of biblical marriage, when we strive to make our lives work for us outside of the covenant relationship with God, we will reap what we sow. The seed of Adam and Eve’s apple debacle still grows within us today!

 

Dramatically, the prophet declared to Israel in Hosea 8:7, “For they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind.” Who would want to intentionally bring about devastating damage by invoking unnecessary storms in our own lives, families, and communities? But that is the major theme of all human history, including that of Israel. Our rebellion against God is caused by a pervasive lack of faith in Him, and our nagging belief that He can’t or won’t keep His promises to us. So, in response to our deep mistrust of anyone but ourselves, we take matters into our own hands to find comfort, approval, control, or power. In doing so, we become like Israel, rejecting His covenant faithfulness for fast-food pleasures that will, more often than naught, make our lives worse in the long run. This is the heart struggle of humanity, and we are still reaping the whirlwind today.

 

Seize the moment and break the cycle of devastation in your life by doing one overt act of love and kindness today that demonstrates your trust in God to meet your deep need for comfort, approval, control, or power – “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9).