Ye shall have no idols...

"Wow!" you might think upon seeing this strange picture, "Someone is grilling a meteor..." Actually, it's the product of my not thinking ahead and getting pictures before we were half way done. This meteor-looking object is a salmon-colored scarf someone gave us as a present. "What does it have to do with burning idols?" Well, I'll tell you. Upon taking the scarf off it's hanger and opening it up (a thing our friend had, understandably, not thought to do) we saw strange images and symbols on it. I won't burden this post with pictures, but, come to find out, they were images of a false goddess. What a shock! After pondering for a few days what to do about it, my mom gathered us together on the back patio with the scarf in her hand. She explained to us what the scarf was and meant and gathered us around the grill to see it burned. She lit it and we began to sing "Amazing Grace". I felt like, aside from the fact that some of us were still in PJ's, it was a scene straight out of the Bible...1 Kings 15:11-13 ¹¹ And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as did David his father. ¹² And he put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. ¹³ And also Maacah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

And..."Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God." Leviticus 26:1

It felt very sacred and solemn

Then, whilst it was burning steadily, Mama had us get paper and crayons. We sat around the picnic table and wrote (or drew a picture of) one (or a few) of our faults.

Some of us writing our weaknesses, some of us burning them.

                     Then, we burned them in with the scarf and sang "Our God". It was a beautiful time!

This is all that was left...

It made me think...what other kinds of idols do we have in our homes? Maybe not literal idols like false gods made of minerals, but things that take the place of God in our hearts...things like television, internet and even...I must say it...BOOKS. I have a tendency to worship books. I can't just read a few pages...I must read a few chapters to be satisfied! I have to constantly check my reading habits because it cuts into time with my family, chores and most importantly, my time with God. I might breeze through a few verses in the morning as an excuse for Bible time, then devour several chapters of Emma. Last night I read Proverbs 10. I think it was written specifically for me! It addressed all of my faults and gave practical wisdom. Praise the Lord! It filled my cup of joy in those few carefully read verses much more than chapters of even Elsie Dinsmore could have done for me.

Be encouraged today. The Lord triumphs over ALL and makes us victors! Burn your idols and give back to the Lord what belongs to Him...our affections and worship and honor. What freedom comes in the end to those who obey when He calls!