Beware Of Pride And Idols In Your Life

Isaiah 2: 12 and 22 - The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),

…..Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?

 

Isaiah…man of God extraordinaire…. selflessly lived his life to give some pretty harsh words of judgment to the Israelites.  The nation of Israel had become a proud arrogant nation….living more for themselves than the God who had blessed them to be his people in the first place. 

 

My heart immediately felt a conviction as it heard the words Isaiah shouted to the nation of Israel.  Even though the world has pockets of good and many people love God more than anything….my heart is constantly confronted with news stories of crime…hate…abuse…injustice…drugs…alcohol …and greed than turns good people into the proud and lofty people Isaiah was preaching to here.

 

He called these things that distract our faith idols.  They are anything that is made by man… that we elevate to a position in our lives that tricks our heart into thinking that we don’t need God anymore.  On top of the obvious things that the courts put people behind bars for….money…love of material possessions …. and trust in other men instead of God can quickly deceive our hearts into a weaker relationship with God. The insult to the God who loved us so much he sent his son to die for our sins is real….and causes him much pain.  And once we are distracted from worshipping him fully….we begin to rely on ourselves instead of the God we gave our hearts too when we became Christians. 

 

I have experienced the knock down of pride that Isaiah talks about here.  It is very painful…but the healing that God does when he brings you to your senses is so powerful.  It gives you new strength… like that verse recorded later in Isaiah 40:31…. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   A fresh new passion will fill your heart that helps you to guard against another fall to pride and greed.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to guard my heart against the idols that weaken my relationship with you. Thank you for the many times you have not let pride become permanent in my life…and loved me so much that you knocked me down and confronted me with my selfishness. Thank you for letting the pain of your discipline bring healing and growth to the weak faith I had by trusting mere puny man.  Help me to never fall so far from you that ignore the Isaiah’s you send to warn me to worship you alone. Amen.