Saturday, 16 May 2009

• My Distractions and Idolatry, Part II of III

  I mentioned yesterday the little distractions that keep me from spending time with God, but at least in those I have the Bible open in front of me.  Then there are the big diversions, the kind that have me searching the internet for hours and planning to alter my life to accomodate them.  After Keeghan died, it was little Kai that distracted me from my sadness, and when Kai failed to fill the hole Keeg left, I turned my attention to getting a cat.  Searching Petfinder.com, looking for a new apartment lest my landlord gives me a definitive "no"...I quickly understood I was avoiding the reality by focusing on the wrong things.

  This latest distraction has only been an issue these past two weeks, something I've not bee too serious about due to my living circumstances, but I found myself spending increasing amounts of time on this nonetheless.  Then Tuesday I heard Joyce Meyer's sermon and was duly convicted; all this time, effort, and prayer about a cat when there are bigger issues.  I was shamed when I realized how trivial my prayer for a cat was in the face of child sex-slavery.

  It isn't that the cat-idea is sinful.  Like Kai, my getting a cat has minimal butterfly-effect on the world and Kingdom. Yet the fact that I put so much time into a future-possibility as I ignored present-realities led me very nearly, or perhaps all the way, into idolatry.  This does have an affect on the Kingdom.  Worse is that I was actually praying to God that I might get a cat at the same time I poured all my free-attention into the prospect while otherwise ignoring Jesus.  I always rail against treating Christ like a Santa Claus-god, and I was doing it.

  The cat is tomorrow's possibility, but Jesus is today's reality.  A feline roommate is a distraction from greater issues in me that God and I need to address.  So I've refocused onto him, making our time a priority and learning a lesson in patience as far the cat goes.  My landlord is thinking about changing his pet-policy, and if he won't, I've been looking at other apartments.  But I'm waiting for God's timing, growing in patience and discernment.  Mostly and more wonderfully, however, I'm growing in my relationship with God. 

  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.
  "Therefore come out from them and be separate," says the Lord. "Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."  2 Corinthians 6:15-17, NIV

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