yoked

from psalm 106:

we have sinned...we have done wrong and acted wickedly...gave no thought to your miracles...did not remember your many kindnesses...rebelled...forgot what he had done...did not wait for his counsel...gave in to their craving...put God to the test...worshiped an idol...exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull...forgot the God who saved them...did not believe his promise...grumbled...did not obey...yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor...mingled with the nations and adopted their customs...shed innocent blood...defiled themselves...

There is quite a list of Israel's sins in psalm 106.  The one that struck me this morning was that they yoked themselves to Baal.  The children of the Living God attached themselves, joined themselves, united themselves to a false god.  To an idol who could never save them or give them life, but would end up as a snare to them, mastering them, leading to their ruin.

Last week the boys' school promoted "screen free week".  Kids were encouraged to turn off their screens- tv, computer, gameboys, wiis, etc. for a week.  It's a great idea don't you think?  After the second day of endless whining about why they couldn't turn on their screens, the boys and I had a discussion about addiction and idolatry.  (I would share the conversation with you, but it isn't nearly as funny if you can't hear the tone of voice that came from the boys!!)

But here is what amazed me:  Every day, Zack wore his ds.  He attached it to himself.  He yoked himself to it!  Now, he closed it up in a case and wrote himself notes all over it, saying "do not play", "do not open", "do not turn on".  But he wore that case around his neck every day that week.  Then he complained to me about feeling tempted to open it up and play his ds.  My obvious response was wouldn't it be much easier to put the case away, to set it aside, to remove it from his sight for the week?!

hmmmm....  I wonder what things in my life God is asking me to put away, to set aside, to remove from my sight.  Have I yoked myself to any Baals lately?

It is time for my morning prayer:  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.