Wednesday, August 10, 2005

where do I want my carcas cast?

I was reading in Leviticus 26 this morning and v. 30 caught my eye:

“I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you.”

When we seek after idols (even modern one$), we become as lifeless as they are. We belong “cast upon” Him … there’s just no other option that won’t result in death.

“I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.” Psalm 22:10

On the exercise front, I’m considering some kind of weight-lifting system for my house. I’m finding that driving to the gym is eating up a tremendous amount of time and gasoline. Anyone had experience with any of the resistance-type systems? I’d love NOT to welcome any other horribly-heavy object into my life.

6 comments:

Carol L said...

The only reason God is so against idolatry is because He is the only Source and/or Giver of Life. There is no middle ground when it comes to life and death. There is no "gray" area and no tottering in between. Idols have no life in them, therefore, the only thing that can take place in idolatry is death, and God hates death! We know that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. I believe God hates it so much that He's reserved it as "the best for last," if you will. I mean that as to say that His utmost arch enemy to the enth degree is death! I mean, death opposes and flies in the face of everything God is and everything He is about! I believe that's why Jesus got so incensed with a fig tree that wasn't producing, that wasn't being obedient to the ordinance God gave at the beginning when He spoke it all into existence and commmanded every part of His creation in the earth to reproduce after its own kind, that He cursed that disobedient fig tree that wasn't producing out of the abundance of life that God gave it, and it withered up, and died, and eventually went back to become part of the soil.

Nothing's changed since the serpent tempting the woman in the garden. If there weren't the spirit of the world putting suggestions into the mind as to what can be derived from this shiny object, or that sparkly thing, then there would be no idolatry. If there hadn't been a subtle and crafy one suggesting that there was something in that fruit worth going after, something to draw life from when, in fact, the fruit could only bring death, then she would have never given that fruit a second thought. She would have given no consideration, no time to even the slightest hint of any thought of having anything to do with that fruit on that tree. Fruit is fruit is fruit, and it was everywhere in the garden! I believe there were varieties in that garden we've never seen or thought of - and the Bible points very clearly to the fact that all of that fruit provided all the nourishment the body needed.

That's why we must discern between the spirit of the world and the Spirit of the Living God. The spirit of the world, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, will suggest that there is life in something God told us not to partake of. God will simply supply the goods - just as He always has. Go after God, and He'll give you the goods. He said it from the beginning of the Book to the ending, and I've experienced that He wasn't just whistling Dixie when He said it! The Bible says that if you sow to the flesh you will of the flesh reap corruption. If you sow to the Spirit you will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Eternal life is more than a quantity of time that begins when the child of God departs from his or her body and the soul and spirit go to meet with God. Eternal life is a quality of life to be enjoyed and partaken of in this life and the next.

I've been dealing with this temptation and that to look to the right and look to the left to go after what the spirit of the world would like to suggest is something I can draw some form of life from. But, praise God, it seems I've sown at least enough to the Spirit to have tasted this life that is only in the Living God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it seems I've developed a taste for life, and that which does not give life just doesn't taste good to me anymore. It's kind of like one who grew up eating possum meat all his life only to taste of beef steak, cooked to perfection, for the first time. Now, all his life, he has thought that possum meat is some mighty fine eatin'. But he gets a taste of that beef steak, and he likes it so much, he goes back again the next night for beef steak, and the next, and the next. Then the cruise ends, and he heads back to the shack and sits down and tries to enjoy the possum meat. That possum meat just isn't the same. He manages to choke down a little of that possum meat, but he can't seem to make himself eat enough of it so he can get full. Pretty soon, as the reality of hunger begins to set in, all the man can think about is that beef steak. He begins to put everything he is and everything he has into figuring out a way to get back on that boat where he first got that beef steak so he can have more...

And that's the way it works. That's how we avoid giving ourselves over to idolatry. Anything can become an idol, but there is only one Giver of Life and Life more abundantly! John 10:10.

Carol L said...

I'm going to blog this, if you don't mind, and follow the link to your blog with a copy and paste or your entry followed by a copy and paste of my response. Please let me know if that creates a problem for you, okay?

Blessings on ya,
Carol :)

Trinka said...

No problem. I read yours LOTS more often than I read mine. :)

Je t'aime said...

Trinka...

On the exercise front (not that I'm an expert, but I have a Dad who I would back as one! lol), I recently purchased a Total Gym for my Dad on Father's Day. It does some resistance, which is mostly your own body weight. There are also additional resistance cords. Between this and his exercise bike, he gets a total work out. It doesn't take up too much space, and folds easily. I always wanted a Bowflex, but this machine was cheaper. Hope that helps.

Je t'aime said...

Oh yeah...

Good job not splitting your infinitives!

LOL

Trinka said...

You're funny. :)

Trinka (reformed English major)