Last week, I wrote about how Ebenezer symbolizes a place of acknowledging and identifying how God has helped us thus far. This week, I’d like to share one last thing I may not have touched on in my last post
So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord
I Samuel 7:4
The bible tells us in I Samuel 7:4 how the children of God turned back to God after a period of idolatry. This means that they had spent a good measure of their time worshipping images that they may have created with their own hands. I somewhat believe that when people make these kinds of decisions to turn away from God, it happens gradually, perhaps with a mere thought till it becomes fully blown. This same way, it could happen to any great Christian or human amongst us .
In this moment I am reminded about how quickly it is to create an idol in my life; how subtly I can begin to place something above my dear God. I am thankful for the Holy spirit within me who convicts me of my wrongs per time.
I recently nurtured and put in so much into an ambition. I subtly began to think that this ambition of mine would give me power, control and influence. When power, influence in God’s kingdom only comes from the Holy spirit! Whatever position or privileges God gives to us are mere resources to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so glad God damaged my ambition and subtle drift towards idolatry. God truly answers prayers, I often say to Him just like I shared in one of my notes to Him that if I ever go left when He needs me to go right, He should drag me back on track. As painful as the process may be, all I want is to be on God’s track, on His path of righteousness always.
As soon as I realized my idolatry, I repented immediately and asked God to forgive me.
Just as the Israelites were able to make for themselves idols although they knew God, the same way we can make for ourselves gods without fully realizing it. But thank God for the gift of repentance, they turned away from the idols they had created for themselves immediately Samuel pointed it out to them.
I may not be able to point to you the exact gods you may have made for yourself; it could range from your spouse to your children to your job to your career or your ministry or a friend and so on. The Holy spirit is able to help you pin point that. And as soon as you have identified it, I believe God would expect that you confess to Him the sin of idolatry and turn completely away from it just like He told the Israelites in I Samuel 7:3
And to you who is on track, loving and putting your God above everything always , I pray the Holy spirit keeps empowering you and I to put Him above and we shall not worship any other god asides the living God of Israel in Jesus name.