Dear God, we jd a scary moment turned sad in church yesterday morning. First, thank you for answering our prayers that it didn’t become scarier. A man in a sleeveless political t-shirt with an angry message on it referencing a politician walked down the middle aisle to the front while the priest was giving his homily. The priest did an excellent job of responding to him in a loving way. The man sat and then after the homily, the priest sat next to him, they visited a second during the offertory and then the man left. A police officer I know who doesn’t go to the church, but who, in my opinion, you providentially placed in the sanctuary that morning, went to visit with the man after that. Crisis over. It was particularly hard for me because my wife was leading singing from the front and I was solidly in the middle of a row in the middle of the sanctuary. I could not get to her to protect her and she was vulnerable. I was very glad the officer was there for that reason too.

So I’m saying all of this because of how I was praying when the man was down front. Because he had his “angry” political shirt, it made me think about how so many have made the government, their political party, or a specific politician their idol. They are looking to that person or entity to meet the needs you designed us to look to you for. Then, when something attacks that idol or the idol is threatened in any way, they get angry. And that anger gets addictive, like a drug. It’s very unfulfilling, but it feels good in the moment, like a drug. So I prayed for this man. I prayed that he would find you as his true God and turn loose of the other gods he’s allowed to take his worship.

Of course, I cannot do this without wondering about my own idols. What do I allow to upset me? In what things do I look for the fruits of the Spirit that will ultimately fail me and let me down. Maybe some family relationships. That’s probably my biggest area. I allow rejection or brokenness between me and some family members to really wreck me sometimes. I start to seek my love, joy, peace, etc. from those things and take my eyes off of you.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please reveal a little more of my own heart to me every day. Every hour. Every minute. Show me who you need me to be. Live through me. Use me. Use me in every life, including in the lives of my family.

I pray all of this in the name of the Triune God,

Amen