Wednesday, May 30, 2007

idols and fellowship

Last nite I went to a book discussion of sorts. A few girls are reading the book "Idols of the Heart" by Elyse Fitzpatrick and meeting on Tuesday evenings at Panera. Anyone is welcome. Last nite we had Chandra, Kirsten, and Nicole (nickie). Obviously, the book is to do with idolatry. It is a nice convicting supplement to the CE hour study we are doing right now that is a killer. The gospel is all about our nasty hearts. That is where it all comes from; even if we clean it up before it exits or contain it inside, our hearts need to be washed of their love of idolatry. Just the other day Wade was telling me about this passage from Calvin about our hearts being idol factories. This passage was also in the book and it is so clear that we are always worshipping and it is not always Jesus. It is easy for me to brush off the ideas of idolatry and think that the term is pretty abstract and so also can my thoughts be about it. But the author includes a nice definition of idolatry that I will paraphrase (paraphrase property of Chandra Oliver): An idol is something you will sin to get or you will sin if you do not get it. Something that you either say inside or your actions speak this: "Give me _____ or I die". In my life there are some blatant, constant idols, but also there are fluctuating, circumstantial idols. This is bad. I think Kirsten put it well when she said that the "idol" that creates idols is the idol of self. The heart, the fickle seat of emotions is perpetually plotting self-sufficiency. That Christ would seal our hearts here, now and help us to flee to Him for constant protection from this ever-returning love of self and adulterous affection for this world and its glories.

It was good. And I even helped the environment by running there. I think those sitting next to me would question whether it was worth it, but that's okay. I am planning to do that every week.

3 Comments:

Blogger OneoftheServens said...

sounds good

9:00 PM  
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1:31 AM  
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2:21 AM  

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