Pastor Jonathan's Monday reflection:

"So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12 (CSB)

It was good to worship with each other yesterday and be reminded of the grace of Christ for us - and be challenged to live in response to that grace. The struggle with idolatry is real - so much more than an idea for Sundays, it wrecks our thoughts and hopes and stokes our fears. As Christians however we have an escape. It is not just the perfect verse to thwart temptation, or magic words to recite when the heat turns up. Our escape is Jesus.

Paul paints the picture of Jesus as the provision in the wilderness, the thing the people needed. He is the same for us today and maybe even more so because we can recognize it. Idols are everywhere and my heart is inclined to many of them (security, style, credibility, popularity, respect, a fat wallet). Many good things that become wretched things because they consume me and distract me from what is important and the people around me.

Jesus is the escape. To run to him, see him and all that he is for us. Our security, our provision, our hope and our protector. And in community we remind each other of this.

It doesn't always feel easy and it can take a long time for contentment to replace some of our idols. But Jesus is better. He is everything. Let us "sing" of him that we would be infatuated with him and nothing else.

My prayer for all of us this week is that we will find our escape in Jesus. That the idols we see everywhere would lose their glimmer and the only shine that would catch our eye would be that of our Savior. Let's get after it friends, for his glory and our good.