Colossians 3:5
Have you ever been dependent on something and that thing had
an emotional hold on your life? It
matters not how many times some well meaning person tells you to stop being
dependant it’s just not going to happen without a battle taking place. For some it may be tobacco, or alcohol,
or drugs, or an abusive husband who physically harms his family, or it could be
the worst of the worst of addictions, a closet thumb sucker. Mr. Thumb was my best friend as a
child, but no matter how mother tried to break up our friendship, I was
determined to keep the relationship going. Like so many dependencies, my thumb and I had to do our
thing in private, it would not have been acceptable at school or with the guys
playing ball at the park, so I, like many who are addicted, kept Mr. Thumb in
the closet until we broke-up this year, folks, I’m messing with you, it happened
at about the age of nine.
I’m 68 years old and it is still not comfortable telling the
two of you who read my blog, that I was a thumb sucker till the age of
nine. But it seemed the best way
to explain Colossians 3:5, “Put to death therefore
what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry.” It
is important to note that all the things listed above are the control of our flesh,
and all of these things are warring with our spirit. As a Christian you may be like I was with “Mr. Thumb” we had
a hate, love relationship, he was a comfort in the closet, but I hated the hold
he had on my life. Many a
Christian is living that life, and it is lived out of fellowship, with a Father
who loves you, and He keeps telling you that He will guide you out of that
closet with it’s fears. It may be
helpful to stop and tell your Father that you let an idol come into your life,
and that you understand that He will not let His child put anything above Him.
As you read verse five did you see that from God’s view all
these sins listed above are idolatry?
In the book of Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord;
that is my name! I will not give
my glory to another or my praise to idols.” I hope you did not think I was making light of
the many addictions that take Christians captive, but they all have one thing
in common, they all put something other than God as the source of
dependency. The battle with
our flesh will not quit, but God is able.
At this time you maybe free from the control of your flesh; watch
out! “Therefore
let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is
not common to man. God is
faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the
temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to
endure it. Therefore, my beloved,
flee from idolatry.” (1
Corinthians 10:12-14)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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