Friday, November 28, 2008

On Being Cleansed of Idols

God spoke through Ezekiel, saying, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you." (Ezek. 36:25)

I was wondering, what must it be like to be "cleansed" of every idol in my life?

I think it might be a little, well, disorienting. Perhaps shocking. To realize, I mean, how many things I'd been depending on, placing ultimate value in, things that were not ultimate. Sometimes, things that were not truly valuable at all. How many frail reeds I'd been leaning on. How many false lights I'd been basking in. How many lies I'd been trusting.

David said to God, "Against you only have I sinned." (Psalm 51:4)

It really is important to remember that He is holy, and desires us to be with Him forever, and yet every sin separates us from Him, and therefore ultimately all sins are sins against God. And this is the fundamental problem of our existence. We couldn't solve it, we could only lie to ourselves about it. Not even with our worthiest deeds could we escape this dilemma. But, though we were stymied, fooled, and rebellious, though we were helpless, God was not.

He alone is worthy of all our praise.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Right!

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans somewhere)