American Idol?

American Idol was one of the most encouraging shows when it began. It was an "if she/he can do that, so can I!" kind of reality that swept the country. And what could be more motivating to become the next "American Idol" than the promise of money and fame, doing what you love to do and getting paid for it? Thousands of people were caught up in the pursuit of that label not counting the hundreds of thousands that participated in watching, talking about and eventually voting on the show.

When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, there were lots of music stars that rose on the American music scene. The first I remember of any significance was Elvis Presley with his hit song, "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog". We had a neighbor that lived across the street from us that was a reporter for the 'Red Bluff News' http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/and he was looking for the public's opinion of this new rock star and the "fainting" phenomenon by young women who were in the audience. Why he thought a 6 year old would have anything of importance to say was beyond me. However, I was happy to give him my opinion which he published as part of the article, "He ain't nothin' but a hound dog!" As you can see, it took something more than a flash in the pan to impress me.

The same held true when the Beatles came to town. Swooning and screaming while a band was playing seemed crazy to me. If the audience liked the songs, why not be quiet and listen to them? I did like the songs but you wouldn't catch me falling down because of the singers. I was immune to that type of idol worship...

Today, I read Mark 3:4-6: "Then He spoke to the people: 'What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?' No one said a word. He looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' (The man) held it out--it was good as new! The Pharisees got out as fast as they could, sputtering about how they would join forces with Herod's follows and ruin him."

The Pharisees had taken their religion and made its laws and practices into an idol. I then realized that many Christians may disdain the idol worship that the world around us exhibits, but have turn their religion into an idol. Haven't you heard it? " I go to the First Church of Anti-People" or "I listen to Rev. Know It-All on the radio." Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't have preferences because, we are humans and (hopefully) there will always be diversity of opinion. However, I think we need to examine where we are putting our worship, our exaltation, our future hope.

Our good friends, Kim & Bev May

While Dave was Associate Pastor at Liberty Christian Fellowship in Liberty, MO, we were introduced to a pastor who had attended Oral Roberts University a few years after we had left there. I don't remember his name or the church which is just as well. We were in the service as guests with our Pastors and friends, Kim and Bev May. Between services we were asked to come to the Pastor's office to meet with him. We sat at a table waiting for the "business" of the church to be taken care of before we talked with him for a few minutes. There were ushers and greeters and deacons and anyone else with pertinent information coming and going to update the pastor on the efficient running of his church. It was all so new and overwhelming that I lost track of the sermon preached or my reason for being there. Later, as Dave and I processed what we had seen, we came to the conclusion that, at that time, the pastor was the one being worshiped. This was our opinion, of course, although I trust Dave's gift of discernment to guide our opinions, and we didn't a chance to discuss it with Kim and Bev to get their take on the whole show. 

Some may have seen the business meeting between services as just micromanagement or necessary to the efficiency of a large organization. But anything, I repeat ANYTHING, that comes between God and a person is sin--even ministry. That pastor had elevated himself or let others elevate him to such a place of adulation in his church that it could have been construed as worship. Check out your place in the scheme of your life. Do you elevate ANYTHING above God? Hopefully you can say "No!" truthfully. And, if not, ask God to show you where you need to repent and change your thinking.

I think my struggle in this area has been in holding "what" God can do for me up as my idol instead of honoring "who" He wants to be in my life. A picture came to mind one day that changed my idea of this. I was struggling with my breathing which always drains my energy and calling out to Jesus for strength and healing. Immediately I recalled the sweet intimacy John had with Jesus--even to the point of laying his head on Jesus' shoulder. I began to long for that intimacy and then flashed to a picture of me standing behind Jesus and looking over His shoulder. We were looking at something in His hand while talking and laughing. I knew then that the intimacy I longed for is where my healing lay. How could you stand that close to Jesus and be infirm?

So, that is my goal now--even when I struggle for the next breath or am amazed at new energy in my body. Intimacy with my Lord is where my healing remains. Hopefully, the next couple of weeks will see me enjoying that time with Him to form a more solid foundation for life yet to come.

LADYING FOR OCTOBER 11, 2012: "Jesus is perfect and whole! Go after an intimate encounter with Him. He wants to make you the same."