Letting go of our "gods"

Today is the first day I am doing this, so forgive me if it is a little scattered. If you are familiar with the story of the Prodigal Son from the Bible, and feel that you have lived it, then you know where I am coming from. Unfortunately, I have given that story as many, if not more sequels than the Friday the Thirteenth movies.

Today I was struck by a passage in Acts. Specifically, Acts 19: 24-27. It reads, "For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bring no little business to the craftsman; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this business. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."

What I think is interesting about this is that Demetrius gets all the other silversmiths and tradesmen all fired up, but his priorities for presenting this concern seem off. He tells them first of all that what is happening is going to cut into their profits, secondly, he's worried about their reputation, and THEN, lastly, he talks about how it dishonors Artemis.

If you notice, the first two concerns he presents are about how they are being affected. Almost as an afterthought, he mentions how it disrespects their god. If they were really faithful to their god, shouldn't they think about her dishonor first? No, because gods are nothing more than a self-serving extension of the self. So, when OUR gods are attacked, we see our desires being attacked and we get defensive. Why? Because our gods aren't real, they have no power, and they do nothing for us other than give us a venue for serving ourselves.

The gods we create are what we desire or what we think we desire. Most of the time they fail us because they can't last. I think about the gods I have had and the ones I still cling to. For me, my gods are men, sex, and stuff. All of them make me feel better for a while, just like the silversmiths and tradesmen with Artemis. They profited from making shrines and idols, but after a time, it all dried up. Notice, no one is still making silver Artemis idols or shrines, so apparently that business is dead.

Let me spell it out in modern terms. The men I have idolized, the false intimacy I tried to get through sex, and the things I own only work for a little while. In many cases, they have actually ended up hurting me. I have allowed men to use me, leaving me empty, bitter, and distrustful. Sex has left me more lonely than if I hadn't had it at all. The things I own get old, and I find myself in debt. All these gods have failed me.

So right now, I am broken, alone, empty, and in debt. In this present state I find myself, I am looking to the one true, real GOD. The amazing thing is that despite how ugly and dirty I have become, He is here and willing to take care of me and my wounds. He wants to clean me up. what He offers is something no other god can, an honest and real relationship. He already knows all about me, and I don't need to hide myself or my sins from Him. Just as He is real, I can be real with Him. No pretending needed. On top of that, I am learning that He really does love me. He really wants me. Finally someone who really loves and cares about me, and truly believe that he won't fail me, like all those other things have over and over again.

Earlier in the Book of Acts, Acts 17:27&28a says, "that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find him; though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist." This was said to the Athenians, who served many gods. But God still wanted them to come to Him, have a relationship with Him, and turn away from their sins, the very things that were hurting them. He wanted them to be children of God.

He wants us to come to Him to and to finally let go of those gods that can't help us.