Feet of Clay...

In addition to the Bible study, Wholly Devoted, for which this blog is named, I'm involved in another study called "Downpour" on Wednesday evenings at my church. I LOVE Bible studies...been thinking about a third one for summertime...I could have easily become a monk, studying Scripture and nothing else...except for that weird hair and those itchy robes and not being able to talk......but, I digress...

In the study for this week, we're to take a good hard look at sin in the mirror, and then get alone with God and ask Him to reveal to us any sin we're harboring in our hearts or struggling with on a fairly regular basis. That in itself is difficult enough.

But then we're supposed to confess our sin to someone in order for them to pray for us and to hold us accountable (based on James 5:16).

Whoa there...confess my sin?? But, I'm a pastor's wife...a Bible study leader...a blogger extraordinaire...I CAN'T CONFESS MY SIN!! What would people think!!

And therein lies the problem. If I let my role in life define me as a believer...if others put me up on a pedestal, holding me up as an example to themselves or to others...then how in the wide, wide world of sports am I ever going to be healed of the sin that so easily besets me?

I mean, come on...if I believed my own press, I would think I'm sumpin' sumpin'...know what I'm sayin', Dawg!! But I know my innermost thoughts, wishes, desires...and struggles. It ain't always pretty inside this cute little head, people!! I don't watch CSI and read murder mysteries just because....gotta get my agressions out somehow, doncha know (That was a joke, people...put down your cell phones...no need to call the FBI!!)

The Book of Daniel talks about a statue made of the strongest metals known to man (Daniel 2), but the feet were made of clay. The weight of the metals and the blows from the rock that struck the statue crushed the feet, and the statue toppled over.

If I'm not careful, I am that statue. The praises and admiration of others make me feel 10 feet tall (which would make me look VERY THIN, by the way!), and bulletproof...but I have feet of clay. Let life throw me a hard one, and I'm crushed and toppled and I can't get up.

So, admire people. Praise them. But follow them as they follow Jesus. And know that we have this heavenly treasure in jars of clay (isn't that a band?), fragile and easily destroyed, but for the grace of God. We all sin, and we all struggle with sin...even those of us who don't want to admit it.

I haven't chosen my confessor yet...I get queasy thinking about it...I just hope she'll allow me the freedom to be healed of my sin...and to allow God to use her as an instrument of healing.

Be blessed, and know that we are all struggling in some way...but God is good!

Deena