Links for today’s readings:
Read: Deuteronomy 7 Listen: (4:13) Read: 2 Corinthians 1 Listen: (3:52)
Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 7.17-21; 25-26
17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.
25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.
Reflection: Demolish the Infrastructure of Idolatry
By John Tillman
The people fear that the seven nations are too many, too strong, and too well-established to be driven out. Moses assured them God would drive out the kings and armies. However, Moses warned of greater difficulty uprooting spiritual powers than political powers. There was an infrastructure of idolatry in the land.
Imagine if our country’s electrical grid was compromised and had to be replaced with a new power source that was incompatible with the old equipment. Every power pole, transmission tower, and power plant had to be torn down. The wiring in every house had to come out, be melted down, and be replaced. Nothing could remain or it would cause shorts, failures, and destruction. This is what God commanded Israel to do with the temples, shrines, tools, and personal idols of Canaan.
Followers of Jesus are not asked to conquer or drive out nations. Jesus commanded us to bring the nations in. The family of Jesus is multi-ethnic and multi-national. Nationalism is pagan, not Christian. However, there are spiritual powers and infrastructures of idolatry that we are called to uproot, tear down, and destroy.
It might be possible for you to live where there are no freeways, rail transport, electricity, or running water. However, wherever you live, you’ll find a robust infrastructure of idols. Within our culture and our hearts there are temples, false gods, and “Asherah poles.”
Idols usually don’t look dangerous. Within a culture, idols look normal, good, valuable, and reasonable. Idols promise plenty, pleasure, and security. Idols tell us our lusts are healthy, our greed is practical, and our dominion over others is natural. This spiritual reality is more insidious and dangerous than any political reality.
We may think these influences (in our country or our hearts) are too many, too powerful, or too ingrained in us to be conquered. But Jesus is greater than any inclination within us or any influence around us.
Bulldoze the roads idols take to your heart. Tear idolatrous wiring out of the walls. Unplug from unhealthy influences. Plug in to Jesus. Jesus provides greater joy than any experience of pleasure, greater assurance than any position of power, and greater worth than any accumulation of wealth.
Lift up Jesus to let people see the power you are plugged into. Live a life of incandescent beauty that draws all to the warmth and welcome of Jesus.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Hallelujah! Praise the Name of the Lord; give praise, you servants of the Lord,
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to his Name, for it is lovely.
For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. — Psalm 135.1-5
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle
Read more: The House God Desires
Despite the sinfulness of David’s line of descendants, Christ lowered himself to be born the Son of David.
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