Idols on a Hill

Psalm 121

I read today's psalm... Like 5 times.  But today is one of those days that I'm really bothered by something going on in my life.  I have an issue that I need to discuss with my dear friend.  This is making it pretty difficult to concentrate on what God is telling me in today's study.  I'm searching for relevance in the Scripture - I know it's applicable.  What in the world do you do in this situation?  My heart is burdened and I feel a strong need to talk to her, but I know that God comes first!  I'm going to read the Scripture again and pray for God to quiet my mind so that I can hear Him and not me...

Ask and you shall receive...

The first 2 verses of this psalm are, "I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."  My study bible goes on to explain that as these worshipers approached Jerusalem, they saw hills and many of these hills were used as alters to worship pagan deities.  This makes me think of present-day deities; things we worship in our culture today.  I don't have a buddha lying around or anything, but the truth is I struggle with pagan worship all the time and I see many Christians around me struggling, too.  I am bothered by the fact that we don't call it out more often.  Shouldn't we hold each other more accountable?  I know that must verge on judgment, but I have the feeling that the need to not hurt each others feelings overrides the need to help one another stay true to God's commands.  Well, let me speak for myself, at least.

This notion of idol worship has been very relevant in my household recently.  God is using people like Tim Keller to usher in, in my opinion, a much needed revolution in our society.  This gets my blood boiling!!!!  My husband, Justin, and I have been discussing the idea that the major sin in our lives is placing other things before God...  It's a plague of deception that Satan uses to keep Christians in the "mushy middle" and from really going all in for God.  For instance, my marriage is Godly and sanctified, but if I'm not careful, I can easily place Justin over God.  Of course, this isn't done consciously... I do this with all sorts of things - my baby, money, clothes, food (especially sweets), nice things for the house, going out, friends, and the list could go on allllll daaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy....  In my circle, I see others struggling to place their children's education, safety, appearance of "godliness" and being a "good Christian," and people pleasing before God's will, also.

Ok, I have to reign myself back in.

So, verses 1 & 2 remind me to look to God for satisfaction; to look to God for everything!  He made the heaven and the earth and His will, if I truly seek it out, will satisfy more than the "hills..."  What are your hills?  Where does your help come from?  What are you afraid of? Do you really trust God?

I say that I do - trust God, that is.  I believe that I do, most of the time... But then again, don't actions speak louder than words?

I have a nasty little hang up called anxiety.  I spent much of my preteen, teenage, and young adult life dealing with this anxiety with a variety of therapists, anti-depressants, and self medication.  (I am NOT knocking meds or mental health professionals. God totally used these things in healthy ways in my life to get me through tough times...)  The problem for me now is that when I get anxious, I think the underlying problem is that I don't trust God.  I don't really believe He's going to work insert issue here out in my life.  Therefore, I must fix it.  Oh sure, God is omnipotent, but He's probably too busy to worry about my measly budget issues... Oh yeah, His forgiveness is as far as the east is from the west, but I'm realllly angry with so-and-so.

Philipians 4:6-7 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transceds all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." And all God's people said?  Can I get an Amen?

Ugh....

Lord, my heart is so dark.  Thank you for weeding this out in me.  Keep on working, Lord.  Draw me near to you and far away from those hills...