Broken Altars...
The word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel, and he shares with Israel: "Then your altars shall be desolate, your incense altars shall be broken... your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, your idols may be broken and made to cease, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished... because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols...." Ezekiel 6:4,6,9
The Lord says, "I was crushed by their adulterous heart...and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols."
What a heartbreaking picture of Israel's unfaithfulness.
For 100's of years, the Lord had called His people to return to Him. Yet they continued worshiping other gods, pursuing their own desires, and turning away from His faithful love. Their idolatry wasn't simply disobedience; it was a betrayal of their covenant relationship with the Lord.
So, the Lord declared that their altars would be broken & idols destroyed. They had been given opportunity after opportunity to tear down those altars, but they refused. Eventually, the very things they built would come tumbling down under God's judgment.
What altars have we built in our own lives? What idols have we embraced?
Really take some time to search your heart. An idol isn't always something evil. It's anything we've elevated above the Lord. It can be a relationship, possession, an ambition, or even ourselves.
Israel had countless opportunities to turn to the Lord, but they chose not to. May we not make the same mistake. Let's ask the Father to reveal the altars we've built and the idols we've embraced. Let's tear them down, turn away from them, and run back to Him.
Father, show me idols in my own life. Help us to see things or others we have made more important than You. Strengthen our hearts to desire You above all else. Forgive us for putting anything before You. I love You Lord. Minister to our hearts. In Jesus' name, Amen!
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.