Oh my goodness, so much to talk about this week. I hope you are really digging into your lessons and unearthing gems as you study. Remember, this study is not designed to condemn us but to convict us and it is doing a mighty fine job of that! Kelly makes such a profound statement right off the bat, "if we can get at the why of idols, we can get at the root of them."
There are so many ways they take root! Funny how those little seeds grow into these big clunky idols isn't it. We learned so much from God's Word this week that we can apply to our lives. The Israelites wanted a king so they could be like everyone else. Sarah had a promise from the LORD and decided to help Him fulfill what He had already promised her. Ever determined to help God – been there? We saw we have choices, the LORD is gracious to let us choose for ourselves whether we take our circumstances and surrender them to Him or like Oprah, seek to elevate ourselves above our circumstances by relying not on Him (like Hannah) but on ourselves.
Then there's fear. I think that it is largely fear of what we cannot see that drops the most seeds into fertile soil that grows an idol. I think that's the opposite of faith, isn't it? Fear tells us to repeat the same behaviors, even when we know in our hearts that they are counterproductive. Kelly said, "Fear protects our idols." Or, "the thing we fear is our god." Do you agree with her?
Here are our discussion questions from this week's study:
- What's something that you've wrapped your identity around that has let you down? This is the thing that we say about, "if I just had 'this', that is all I would ever need." Then, we find out the cruel truth, that there is always something more we need.
- Page 39, "I would love it said of my life: The goodness of Jesus Christ burned so brightly in her that people glorified God; she almost seemed from another world." What would need to different for this to be said about you?
- MSN.com today featured an article called, "When Oprah's Midas Touch Fails". How does that relate back to her comment on page 43 and Kelly's observations about her comment?
- Have you been given a gift or blessing from God that has turned into a golden calf?
- Share the verse on page 50 that spoke to your heart and why?
You are doing great. I have heard of several of you who are meeting weekly and looking at this study together at coffee shops and Chik Fil A. Keep digging. This coming week we're going to look at the Father of Lies. "Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the truth."
Be a truth seeker this week.
I'm crazy about you.
Donna
I confess that I always found my identity in being a good wife and mother, and even worse I identified my self according to how much the man I was married to loved me or how well I could please him, and I always thought if I just had a husband like so and so’s husband, I would or could….. ..I found my identity in a man! However, that identity was taken away after going through a divorce and I have to truthfully say I am still stumbling around 5 years later trying to figure out who I am. I love the little “Cosby” story of “trying to find one self” and had a really good laugh because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told friends I had lost my self during the course of a really bad marriage and im still trying to find me again. What a refreshing thought to know that it doesn’t matter if I feel I have lost me because He has found me. Jesus has found me and my identity is in HIM! It isn’t Mrs. Hanks, good little wife and mother; it is just me. I’ll be the first to admit I still struggle with thinking I still need a man in my life but somehow I think God is trying to show me I will be just fine if I don’t. Oh how thankful I am for a loving and patient Father that allows us to make mistakes but just keeps on loving us where we are.
ReplyDeleteBefore I respond to Donna's question about which vs on page 50 spoke to my heart, I must first say thank you to Genice for verbalizing what many women have felt at some time or another. And your right Genice, divorce only seems to exacerbate those insecurities. Praise God, that when we enter into a love relationship with Jesus Christ- we begin to understand what real love and acceptance is. Somehow, our lives begin to make sense, and we receive clarification of our identity, in Him.
ReplyDeleteRe: the verse in this lesson that impacted me most- it was found in John 6:20. The back drop for this verse, is that a violent storm has "whipped up" on the Sea Of Galilee. The disciple are in the boat, and Jesus is still back on shore. He suddenly appears to them and says, "Do not be afraid, it is I".
I guess this initially jumped out at me, because as I read the verse in my "red-letter" Bible, Jesus' words stood out in the dark sea of black ink, just as it must have stood out on that dark stormy sea in Galilee. And to the disciples, those words were enough.
Oh- to be THAT certain of His presence during the storms of our life! What a comfort, what a GIFT. My prayer is that, when fear and uncertainty begin to creep in, we will hear our precious Lord's voice say: "Do not be afraid, it is I"..... and it will be all we need to know.