Blindness Part I- Idols Before Our Eyes

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry.” –Ezekiel 14:4

I believe that we in America cannot see clearly. We are like the blind man at Bethsaida after Jesus first touched his eyes, and though we can see a little, we “see men as trees walking”—as objects and not as God intends us to see them. Our lives testify to this, because if we truly saw orphans as image bearers of God, members of our own body, and Christ in disguise, we would go to great lengths to care for these children in their distress.  Instead we turn a blind eye, absorbed in our own lives and untouched by the reality of theirs.  

So, why are we blind? Why do we not see orphans as our own flesh? 

Are we so deceived that we do not recognize some sin blinding us from seeing God’s heart for the orphan and our role with them?  Or are we willfully refusing to remove the idols we have before our eyes because of what it will cost us? Idols that feed our flesh: Lust of the eye – we want to keep what we have and accumulate more. Lust of the flesh – we strive to re-order our lives in our efforts to be comfortable. The pride of life – we are too important, self-sufficient, self-actualizing, self-focused.

These idols are causing us to stumble!  In Ezekiel 14, God explains that He will answer His people according to their idols. We reap exhaustion because we sow exhaustion. We are striving for more and getting more death. We are not full of God’s power, comfort, and Spirit because we have set before ourselves idols that destroy life instead of give it.

I have been blind in every one of these ways! I have walked through countless orphanages and left and done little to nothing.  I simply toured them! While visiting one children’s home with a group that included a billionaire, I was frustrated that this billionaire wasn’t giving much. But then God spoke to me and said, “What about what I entrusted to you to give? Why are you still holding on to it?” I was blinded by my own greed! As a result, I could not see God, and I could not see God in these children.

Comments

[Mens Health]

Hi,
You are right. Please pray that God will give me the wisdom and discernment to continue writing for His Glory Alone.