Thwarting
I have a series of posts to come on the topics of thwarting and idols. It seems that I can't escape these themes over the past 3-4 weeks.

Why would God thwart us? We have our desires and our dreams - why does it seem that these are nearly impossible to reach? So often, our dreams become our idols. We long for the perfect house, the perfect job, the chance to see the West, a completely healed family, investments that multiply, the peaceful life, etc. Many of these are worthy desires but if misplaced, they can become idols. Sometimes we long for family - family that fulfills our needs, understands us, moves towards us. Sometimes we long to "be somebody" - to be noticed, desired, viewed with respect or even honor. Again, these are worthy aspirations and again, if misplaced, can become idols.

We all have that "ache" in us for something. Oftentimes, it sets us out on a quest, a mission to fulfill that desire and satisfy that ache. They become our way of life.

Here is where the problems appear. When we have that ache, that longing as our priority in life...it is very likely that God is nowhere around. If our focus is on that desire - it cannot be on God. The quest itself can pull us away from God as can actually accomplishing our desire. If we won the lottery, we'd have it "made". Life would be complete. So how does God feel about that? See my point is that if "my" goals are fulfilled, "my" dreams realized -- where would I have room for God? It would be about "me", not "Him".

God is a jealous lover. The things we chase after and dream of and pursue are very often far removed from God. And so, in that, He thwarts. If we find our "salvation" in the lottery - we don't need God.

Man is an adulterer. We seek others. We pursue our wants and our desires and turn our back on the One who can fulfill all our needs. God operates in the "big" story. He sees the entire picture. Whereas I tend to focus on the "small" story...me. My goals, my dreams, my desires, my longing for acclaim, my vision, etc. My story is all about me.

And so...God thwarts. He knocks me off my horse as a gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) reminder that the things I rabidly pursue are serving to pull me farther and farther away from Him. God is a jealous lover. He wants all of us. Our idols take up a lot of the shelf space in our life - space designed God the One who loves us completely.

Much, much more to come on this. This post was a bit fractured - I'm gathering many thoughts. Stay patient with me as I work through these thoughts.

Soar!