Trusting God to Send A Thunderstorm

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 1 Samuel 7:3-4

I was reading Jonah a Bible story this morning and, as is often the case, I got as much from it as Jonah did. The story was about the Israelites' ongoing problems with their enemies the Philistines. For years they had been attempting to serve both God and idols. The prophet  Samuel wisely told them if  they would tear down their idols and worship God alone, God would bless them.  

And, almost unbelievably given their history, they did it! They not only tore down the Ashtoroth poles and the idols of Baal, they confessed their sins and prayed to the Lord. He heard their cries and, when the Philistines came to attack, God used a thunderstorm to drive them back. (See 1 Samuel 7:2-14.)

Image Stock.xchange "dimitri"

This story reminded me that I too, like those Israelites long ago, have been asked by God to tear down my idols. While I have never owned, nor desire to own, an idol made of wood or stone, I have been  guilty of worshiping false gods my culture has presented to me as good and helpful. These idols of mine have included such things as  control, money, good health, being understood, physical appearance, being treated fairly and having a pain-free life. 

I can't possibly explain this type of idolatry—idolatry of the heart—better than author Lou Priolo. “An idol can be anything. It may even be a good thing. But if we want it so badly that we sin if we don’t get it or sin to attain it, then we’re worshipping an idol rather than Christ.” 

Thankfully God knows me so much better than I know myself. He wants all of my worship and, through the years, has torn down many of my idols. While on the surface it can seem a serious loss, in the end I have gained so very much more than anything I have lost. Additionally, while God has never used a thunderstorm to cause my enemies to flee, I have seen Him protect me in stunning ways. 

And I daily see Him fighting for full ownership of my heart.  As new temptations to idolatry come before me the question I must ask myself is this. Do I trust my own ideas—ideas that match the world's philosophies and agendas—or do I trust God? Can this same God who pushed back the Philistines with a thunderstorm undertake for me if I too tear down my idols and worship Him alone? 

See Trust Issues.
See The Great Rewarder.