Nougat 12

Sometimes, in our anger, we get carried away and make very unwise decisions. It sometimes crashes (comes back to bite us), but God is our refuge. Today’s Holy Nougat is a two-fer, much slowly.

“At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭31‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” ‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Anger Yielding Divided Loyalties

Everyone remembers Jacob’s story, and how the trickster was tricked. What we often fail to consider is the impact of life with Laban on Jacobs’s family. At the start of the chapter, when Jacob realized that his wealth was a problem for his brothers in law and Laban, he decided to leave. In fairness to his main wives, Laban’s own daughters, Jacob asked their opinion. Their response was unanimous. ‘Leave,’ they said, ‘for he’s wasted our inheritance and made us commoners.’

One wonders then, we the idols stolen to punish Laban, or was Rachel personally attached to the idols? Nothing was said of Leah’s actions and despite his shrewd conniving, it is evident that he was still a worshipper of YHWH. Was it that Rachel had not converted? We know that Jacob was unaware of her action, which almost cost him his hard earned integrity. And even then, Rachel did not confess her actions.

No one hears about those idols thereafter, but one thing is certain, at least for our lives. If an idol remains ‘hidden’ in our personal lives, it it’s being served by us. While idols aren’t always as clearly defined and visible as Rachel’s, attention to any idol results in divided loyalties. For, as Jesus puts it, we can’t worship God and idols.

Whether we have entertained idols out of curiosity, conviction, or revenge; we are responsible for giving them up when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It may be that hidden, recurrent sin or something we’re openly prioritizing. Either way, we ask God to reveal our idols, so we are singleminded in our devotion.

Will we, can we?

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May all we seek be found in Christ