I have an idol.
Well, I probably have a few…but one of my biggest is the clock.
I obsess over time management. Part of that is a good thing, being a project manager by trade that comes in handy.
However for ministry…not so much. I will be honest, when I have my little “schedule” in full swing – there are no times for crises!
This weekend, I played a few gigs in PA at Calvary Church in Souderton, PA at their Mr. B’s coffeehouse and Sunday AM at Macedonia Baptist Church in Norristown, PA.
I will be honest. I don’t like to rehearse. I really don’t. My main objective in rehearsal is for it to be over as fast and efficiently as humanly possible. So when our beloved drummer was like 2 hrs late due to traffic…my time idol was throbbing! We were supposed to rehearse from like 5-7pm. Instead, we rehearsed from like 7-10:30pm. Yes…I know…
Fast forward to Sunday morning at Macedonia Baptist — it was amazing! We played the 11:00am service. We got out at 2pm.
Yes…you read that right. The service was 3 hours. I was 120 miles from home. I still had to pick up the dog and the girl child on the way home, and I start a new job tomorrow morning. My time idol was freaking OUT. I’m a white dude from Northern NJ. Our services are exactly 1hr. In fact we have ourselves convinced that after 1hr (or 90 decibels) the Holy Spirit leaves.
When I thought we were close to being dismissed, Pastor Byron indicated it was time for communion. I was like [insert Randy Jackson voice here:] “Whaaaat?”
I knew this was the perfect time to confess my selfishness and die to myself..and my time idol. What an amazing family of God at Macedonia Baptist. I enjoyed every moment of it. He brought up 1 Cor 11:27 which sealed the moment:
27(A) Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord(B) in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning(C) the body and blood of the Lord.
Talk about the needle coming off the record. Is there more of an unworthy manner than coming to the table carrying a big idol?
I immediately put my Bible and notebook down on the floor, bowed my head and repented.
Calvin called our hearts “Idol factories” – mine truly is. With that being said, my prayer is to not let any idols grow to any substantial size before repenting and allowing the Holy Spirit to do it’s sanctifying work – and a primary way of doing that is to be on idol watch. (Not AMERICAN Idol…) but the idols of our hearts, as 1 John 5:21 so aptly puts it:
21Little children,(A) keep yourselves from idols.
Pray that God will give us the sight to see these idols, and then that we will want to remove them!
Mike Ruel 
I’m not commiserating with you here… I’m identifying with you. I am a sinner full blown. My only hope is Jesus Christ and it is in Him that I rejoice! He purchased this wretched sinner’s redemption! How incredibly wonderful is that?!!
My idols…. whew, do I dare speak up?
well… not on your blog anyway…. ;]
Thanks brother… your refusal to run out from the light of truth is encouraging and refreshing.