The Lie

 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?” Isaiah 44:20

I heard evangelist James Robison say some time ago that he believed that our present generation was "drunk on a spirit of delusion." We in the church can say we see the evidence of that in the world, but do we see it in the church? In ourselves? Do we recognize where we're "feeding on ashes?" Where we're trusting in that which "can't help us at all?"

The right hand is always seen as the symbol of power. In the spiritual realm, what we "hold" in it is what we see as our source not just of power, but of value, of what we hold most precious. It can be an almost endless array of things. Material and financial abundance. The desire for a happy, comfortable life. Success in our profession, especially ministry, and simply the overall drive to succeed. Many of the things, both tangible and intangible, are not in themselves bad things, but they are things that can easily take the place of Christ. They become what we trust in. They become what is precious to us above all. This is what had happened to the people of Israel. They never pushed God completely out of their lives. They merely pushed him into the corner. Most often a very unseen corner. They lived like He wasn't real. Like He wasn't there. They fed on ashes, but they were blind to that truth. Can we dare to allow Him to expose where we are doing the same?

In my prayer journal, I've written, "Lord, what am I holding onto that I have made more valuable to me than You?" It's a prayer that I need to keep central to my life, because there have been times, too many, when I have allowed other things to be more precious, more vital to me than He was. It wasn't intentional, and oftentimes I wasn't immediately conscious of it, but it happened, nonetheless. Usually, it centered around my pursuit of a rewarding relationship with someone, or my pursuit of success in my ministry. I was allowing both to be the source of my worth and my identity. When that happened, the reality of who He was faded into the background. Like the Jews, I didn't force Him from my life. I merely shunted Him aside. I was feeding on ashes. I was holding onto a lie. I had lost sight of the truth that all of my worth, all of my identity is centered on not who I'm with, or what I've achieved. It's the realization of who I am in Him, and all that I have in Him. Everything else is passing away. Everything else becomes ashes. The delusions and lies we believe keep us from seeing that, until He breaks in upon us to show us how true that is. What we do next will determine everything. Will our eyes be opened to the emptiness of what we hold to, or will we keep the lie in our grip?

Who and what are you holding in your hand? What do you grip, and what is gripping you? What is the lie you look to and depend upon? Israel found that what they'd been looking to could not help them in their great time of need. They'd trusted in a lie. What lie might you be trusting in right now. Whatever it might be, for you and me, may our eyes be opened to see not just the lie, but the One who is Truth itself. May we hold fast to Him, as He will surely hold fast to us.

Blessings,

Pastor O