The Tsunamis of Life
Twice in recent times we were stunned by news of major earthquakes, and it will be hard to forget the images that we saw on TV, and the pictures that were splashed across the newspapers. The first one in Haiti left homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and even their President's palace, in total rubble. The second quake was in Japan, and in those areas that didn't get hit by the tsunamis – most of their homes and businesses were left standing. What's the difference? The design, foundation and the materials their structures were made of. An earthquake has a way of exposing the strength or the weakness of buildings, their structure and foundation.
There was another tsunami that hit not just in one place, but in many places around the world. And what Tsunami was this? The crash on the stock exchanges, and the resultant financial global downturn. It also claimed a number of lives - people facing financial disaster committing suicide, and the physical and emotional stress suffered by so many, as they lost homes, businesses and jobs. It was interesting to hear various people relating their experiences following the market’s collapse. There was Mike who had a very long and successful career in finance - dealing successfully in the share market for a number of years. But during those chaotic months in the economy, he felt like a Category 5 hurricane or an 8.0 earthquake had hit his life and his business. When asked how all the turbulence and uncertainty were affecting him, he responded with an answer that you and I need to think about. He said, "It exposed my idols."
Now it’s not that Mike had a statue of Buddha or an ancient Greek god sitting on an altar inside his house or at his office. We need to remember that not all idols are carved out of stone, or wood or whatever. An idol is simply something we put our faith in to give us security, identity; something or someone to give us significance, love and satisfaction. Mike explained: "If you'd asked any of us finance-marketplace Christians where our security was, we would have told you we were definitely trusting the Lord. But what has happened has shown us what we were really trusting in."
Mike found that God will do what He has to do to "expose our idols" and show us what we're "really trusting in". Remember the story of how they catch monkeys? They place a bottle with several nuts in it - where the monkey can see it. The monkey places his hand through the opening of the bottle, clutches the nuts, and then is unable to withdraw his hand, because of his closed fist holding the nuts. Well we are a bit like the monkey. We clutch tight whatever the idol might be, and we become a virtual prisoner. We lose our freedom. And because of God’s love, and because He wants only the best for us, the Lord will do anything to force open our hand to let go of that idol (or those idols), so that we can withdraw our hand, and again know the freedom of loving and serving Him alone.
The foolishness of placing our trust in these “pretend gods” is clearly illustrated in the Bible. Let’s take Chapter 5 of 1 Samuel as an example. The Philistines put their faith in a god they called Dagon. Now Israel - God’s people - were in all sorts of trouble, because they were not walking closely with God, and putting their trust in idols - pretend gods. In a battle with the Philistines, they were soundly defeated, and what’s more, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant. For all intents and purposes, the Philistines regarded the Ark as representing Isreal’s God, and so placed the Ark in the temple of their god - Dagon. And then the problems began. 1 Samuel 5, beginning in verse 1, says, "When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord!" Okay, they put old Dagon back in his place, but the next morning it says they found not only their favourite “pretend god” on the floor - again - but that "his head and hands had been broken off" as well.
Now, you know what? Every "idol" will ultimately fall on its face. Every "idol" in our life will ultimately break. It doesn't matter if it's your career, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a house, a bank account .... Yes, even very good things can become idols. Your children, your church, the work you're doing for God. They're false gods when we need them to give us our worth, to give us our identity, to give us our security - when they take the place of the one true God and involve all of our time, money and possessions. Are you worshiping the Lord regularly? What about reading and studying the Bible? Spending time in prayer? Are you giving at least one-tenth of your income to the work of the Lord? Are you using your time, gifts and possessions in the service of the Lord? These are “test” questions to help you determine if Jesus Christ who gave His all on the Cross for you, has the first place in your life.
You see many times you can't recognize an idol until it's shaken or until it's gone. The First Commandment is still first. "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). Even as Christians, we must be alert to the strategies of Satan - that no idols take over the place which rightly belongs to the Lord. It shouldn’t need a tsunami to make you let go of idols. All you need to do is respond to Christ’s love, by repenting of your sins and lovingly obey His Word. Then you will know His grace and peace....