Grappling With Secularism

Fellow Labourers-

I find this article so challenging to the mind that if you receive it for the second time, then read it again for the second time. As a Church we must take a stand for something even if we are ridiculed. If we don't stand for something we maight fall for everything. I was struck by last week Friday's (March 5) Daily Bread topic, "Idols in the heart." Isn't that a part of the real issue that faces the child of God. Read again Ezekiel 14:1-8.

I am now quoting verbatim the thought from that lesson. "When my husband and I first went out as missionaries, I recalled being concerned about the growth of materialism in our society. It never crossed my mind that I myself could be materialistic. After all, hadn't we gone overseas with almost nothing? Weren't we choosing to live in a shabbily furnished, rundown apartment thought materialism couldn't touch us.

Nonetheless, feelings of discontent gradually began to take root in my heart. Before long I was craving hungrily after nice things and secretly feeling resentful over not having them.

Then one day God's Spirit opened my eyes with a disturbing insight: Materialism isn't necessarily having things; it can also be craving them. There I stood - guilty of materialism! God had exposed my discontent for what it was - an idol in my heart! That day as I repented of this subtle sin, God recaptured my heart as His rightful throne. Needless to say, a deep contentment followed, based not on things but on Him.

In Ezekiel's day, God dealt thoroughly with this kind of secret idolatary. His throne on Earth has always been in the hearts of His people. That's why we must rid our heart of anything that destroys our contentment with him." Joanie Yoder.

I hope we can see the connectivity between secularism and materialism.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart