Fruit in Season

Monday, January 29, 2007

"Satan's ultimate lie is that you are capable of being the god of your own life, and his ultimate bondage is getting you to live as though his lie is truth."
~ Neil Anderson ~

In our homeschool right now, we're studying ancient Greece. Colin is really enjoying the stories of the Greek heroes and the antics of the gods. We make a clear distinction between the One True God, and these fictional beings created to explain things the Greeks couldn't understand.

What has struck me most is that the gods are so human in their behavior. They are, after all, man-made. They exhibit more bad than good qualities, it seems, and act mostly on whim.

Poseidon, the god of the sea, took any anger out on men at sea. Odysseus was caused to be adrift and lost for 10 years because of Poseidon's anger.

Zeus, the leader of the gods, was flighty, had many wives and mistresses, and still wasn't satisfied with what he had.

There is a world of difference between our God and any other god- including our selves.

When I became a Christian in college, I was scared. I thought it would be hard to give up control of my life, to trust another with my cares and concerns when I had been in charge for so long. In many ways it was, but mostly it was a relief to rid myself of my burden of perfectionism. I wasn't doing that great a job anyway.

What I didn't expect was to be bombarded by the world that much more as an accepted, redeemed child of God. It was like Moses bringing down the law to the Israelites- once you knew the law, it could be broken. It opened their eyes to their sin. In the same way, my eyes were opened and I saw temptation around every corner. Temptation for me usually meant the temptation to take back the reins of my life and do it my way.

The world, and the enemy in the world, is constantly at work to make us believe that we are our own gods:

Loreal says, "You're worth it."
You deserve to buy that car, that house.
Do what makes you feels good.
If it doesn't hurt anyone else, go for it.
Morality is subjective.
True spirituality comes from within.

All of these messages, and more, and more, and more, whisper to us that trusting God and His principles, dying to self, and putting others first are all signs of weakness. It is not being told these things that is dangerous. It's only if we believe them.

I remember what being my own god looks like. I didn't like it then, and I don't want to return to it. But it is only through constant turning toward the Lord that I can turn away successfully from those whispers and temptations. I am human, I am sinful, but I am also redeemed and purchased with the sacrifice of Christ. So, in that regard, I am worth it.

Labels: In Other Words

posted by Christine at 8:11 PM | Permalink

21 Comments:

At 10:44 PM, Especially Heather

I am human, I am sinful, but I am also redeemed and purchased with the sacrifice of Christ. So, in that regard, I am worth it.

Isn't that wonderful! Thanks so much for hosting today, and for sharing your heart in this post. I really enjoyed reading!

Especially Heather

At 10:57 PM, Amydeanne

Great post! What a great topic!
I really appreciate all your comments on the "gods", defineately shows the difference between the One True God, doesn't it?

At 12:59 AM, Loni

Thanks for sharing this great, thought provoking quote. I appreciated your thoughts of all the gods in our lives too. THANK YOU!

At 5:21 AM, MiPa

awesome post! Thanks for a thought-provoking quote.

At 6:34 AM, Becky

Thanks for sharing your story. Isn't it ironic that often when we feel in control of our lives, rather than allowing God to be in control, it is actually Satan that has a firm hold on us?

At 6:44 AM, Terri @ In His Hands

Great quote and I love your take on it.
My first grader studied the ancients last year too and he told us that he believed in many gods (his favorite was Poseidon) because they all had different things to love. It made me realize how easy it is to believe that and how our job as parents just got tougher.

At 8:15 AM, Tami Boesiger

I agree we are bombarded with temptations to be our own gods. It is so hard to avoid these messages if we are in the world, but not of it. Hard stuff. Thank God we have Him in our corner.

At 8:36 AM, Sissy B.

"the burden of perfectionism"...how this spoke to me Christine!! This is where satan targets me! BTW...I loved greek mythology...and I enjoy how you are able to teach it to your children within God's perspective.

At 8:40 AM, Denise

Excellent post, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

At 8:42 AM, Cyndi

Excellent, excellent post. I, too, noticed the human-like qualities of the ancient gods when we studied them. Man made them in his own image. How scary it would be if those gods were actually in charge! How much more frightening if WE were!

Thanks for hosting today, and for making me think! :)

At 11:59 AM, Jennifer

Hi Christine-

Thanks for the great quote! I love the references you pulled in regards to the messages from society. It is so hard to keep the world at bay. Thanks for the reminder of the "good" life that we have in Christ and what we left behind when we chose to come to Christ.

Jennifer

At 12:06 PM, Crystal

What an awesome quote and a great reminder to keep letting God have control
Blessings

At 12:24 PM, Darlene

Thank you for hosting, and for that wonderful way of sharing the quote. I read yours before writing mine, and I kept wanting to use your Loreal line, "Because I'm worth it." :)

At 1:31 PM, The Bass Player's Wife

That lie about true spirituality being within is a doozie, isn't it? I hear it even in churches.

At 4:11 PM, janiswrites

We have to keep giving it all back to God, don't we? It is a daily process with me-one that is difficult at times. Thanks for sharing with us! I enjoyed it! Blessings!

At 9:37 PM, Nic

I really like how you tied in the mythic gods as having such human characteristics b/c they were created by humans. I never thought of it that way even though I used to study Greek and Roman mythology in high school.

Thank you for hosting the IOW today. I am SO GLAD that you used this topic. It was such a blessing to write on! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

At 10:20 PM, Taya

Great take on this! Oh, and great quote too! Thanks!
Many blessings to you!

At 11:06 PM, kpjara

So true!

At 1:27 AM, Janean

Good choice! I really needed it this week.
God bless!

At 4:39 PM, Tonja

Thanks for your very timely words. I have always enjoyed studying mythology and seeing how the gods overlap in different cultures. How blessed that we know the true God...who is available to anyone...anywhere.

At 8:56 AM, Blessed Beyond Measure

I came here late to link my Mom's post on this week's quote (Flight Song). I loved your post on this. You said this: "In the same way, my eyes were opened and I saw temptation around every corner. Temptation for me usually meant the temptation to take back the reins of my life and do it my way." I'm in the middle of being convicted by the HS about letting go of the control - of my life, situations, etc. I'm expecting to find it's a lifelong battle, one I'll fight with myself over and over. The world certainly doesnt do anything to help in that effort, but at least recognizing what's really going on inside is a place to start.