One sin we don't seem to focus on often may be the most deadly to a growing relationship with Him: Coveting. Paul tells us that the sin of coveting is idolatry in disguise--insidious disguise. Whatever it is we are coveting--material things, spiritual things, impossible things--they become enthroned in our hearts where only our love for Him should reign. What makes it such a temptation today is that our entire culture worships coveting. They try to sell it to us every day as a good thing--a great thing, a life-enhancing thing. And they can be very persuasive.
Often it is "just" things. We want the newest of everything, and in our innovation society, there are always newer things--better phones, the latest TV, a new car, a bigger house, the newest gadget, newest clothes, and on and on it goes. When we are driven to have these temporal things (they only last until the next new thing), and our contentment rests on having them, we are coveting. Such wanting undermines our relationship with Him. We have set up other gods before Him. The love of things becomes more important to us than our love for Him. Deadly. They are the wood and stones of today's idols. They cannot help you in anyway. They erect in your heart a throne to unquenchable appetites totally unable to fill your soul with His presence.
Too often we covet spiritual things. We look at someone else's gifts and talents, and we wish we had them. Why can't I sing like that? Why is their gift of evangelism so natural when mine is such a struggle? Why is their gift of hospitality so much more attractive than mine? Why do they seem to have grown so much spiritually while I'm just creeping along? And then we cast aspersions on the gifts He has given us. And then we compare ourselves to others spiritually and think He doesn't love us, certainly doesn't need us, is not interested in deepening His relationship with us. Sadly, we forget that each of us grows slowly in His timing--there is no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. Sadly, we forget that He has given us the gifts He has so that the body will be complete, be whole, work effectively in the growth of the kingdom. No one can take our place in the body. No one. We are that essential to the work. We are just as deeply loved as every other child of His. And what could be more detrimental to our relationship to Him than spiritual lust?
We, also, I'm afraid, covet the impossible. Why did God give me the life that I have? Why was I born in this place, with this family, with this work, with this status, having to endure my past, in fear of not having a secure future? Why me, Lord? Our past is out of our reach, our present is not what we wish it were--what it would be if we were planning it, our future is filled with fears that cry out that we doubt His love and His wisdom. We replace His throne of love residing in our hearts--the very empowering presence of the Spirit--with the idol of "Why me?" It's the idol we worship with grumbling and complaining, and then we wonder where the joy of our walk with Him has gone? Yes, we worship misery and being discontent instead of being Christ-in-the-room where He has placed us--where He needs us.
Often it is "just" things. We want the newest of everything, and in our innovation society, there are always newer things--better phones, the latest TV, a new car, a bigger house, the newest gadget, newest clothes, and on and on it goes. When we are driven to have these temporal things (they only last until the next new thing), and our contentment rests on having them, we are coveting. Such wanting undermines our relationship with Him. We have set up other gods before Him. The love of things becomes more important to us than our love for Him. Deadly. They are the wood and stones of today's idols. They cannot help you in anyway. They erect in your heart a throne to unquenchable appetites totally unable to fill your soul with His presence.
Too often we covet spiritual things. We look at someone else's gifts and talents, and we wish we had them. Why can't I sing like that? Why is their gift of evangelism so natural when mine is such a struggle? Why is their gift of hospitality so much more attractive than mine? Why do they seem to have grown so much spiritually while I'm just creeping along? And then we cast aspersions on the gifts He has given us. And then we compare ourselves to others spiritually and think He doesn't love us, certainly doesn't need us, is not interested in deepening His relationship with us. Sadly, we forget that each of us grows slowly in His timing--there is no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. Sadly, we forget that He has given us the gifts He has so that the body will be complete, be whole, work effectively in the growth of the kingdom. No one can take our place in the body. No one. We are that essential to the work. We are just as deeply loved as every other child of His. And what could be more detrimental to our relationship to Him than spiritual lust?
We, also, I'm afraid, covet the impossible. Why did God give me the life that I have? Why was I born in this place, with this family, with this work, with this status, having to endure my past, in fear of not having a secure future? Why me, Lord? Our past is out of our reach, our present is not what we wish it were--what it would be if we were planning it, our future is filled with fears that cry out that we doubt His love and His wisdom. We replace His throne of love residing in our hearts--the very empowering presence of the Spirit--with the idol of "Why me?" It's the idol we worship with grumbling and complaining, and then we wonder where the joy of our walk with Him has gone? Yes, we worship misery and being discontent instead of being Christ-in-the-room where He has placed us--where He needs us.
"Thou shalt not covet." "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." The same commandment expressed in different words. We become such idolaters.
The cure? How do we tear down those idols and walk joyfully in His presence? We worship Him with a heart of gratitude for all His provision. We walk daily in obedience with Him. We use the gifts He has given us to ensure the health of the body--the church. We cast off the evil of comparing ourselves to others because we are His creation--one-of-a-kind--the one-of-a-kind He needs right where He has placed us. We embrace our circumstances knowing--yes, knowing--that He has placed us where He needs us to be the example of His holy love to others, that He has given us the vocation we have because He has designed it to be our place of ministry.
John, the apostle of love, closes his first epistle with these beautiful words of wisdom--and command: "Little children, guard yourself from idols." No wonder he's called the apostle of love, the disciple whom Jesus loved--there was only room for one throne is his heart--His Savior reigned there.
On guard!
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