Meet Page Austin

Every time I read Scripture, I am amazed at the truths that God shows me. It always seems to be exactly what I am struggling with. In this particular passage, Moses warns the Israelites that putting other gods (Asherah) next to the altar of the Lord is wrong. In fact, Moses said that it is something "the Lord your God hates."

"Hate" is a strong word. But I think that shows us just how much God loves us: worshiping idols or giving our hearts to anything unworthy is not good for us. He hates that and wants to protect us from it. God wants our full attention. This is important to realize -- you can't split your affections between the world and God. It is all or nothing. A good example the Bible gives us is King Solomon's life. He was a man who loved the Lord, but his heart became hardened because of the sin and deceitfulness in his life (see 1 Kings 11:4-8). The Lord commands everything from His followers -- not just some of it.

I was reminded of the things I put before God -- job, friends, myself -- and how those are my "Asherah." If I really say I know God's character and how great His love is for me, why is it so hard for me to fully surrender to Him? The answer is that I don't really trust God as much as I thought I did.

It's sort of like when I was teenager and I loved to drive. I loved being in control. Some days, I am still that teenager holding the steering wheel. I am afraid that if I let God drive, He is going to take me somewhere I am not ready to go, and that is scary. This is something that I am working through on a daily basis with friends who are supporting me in my walk with God. It's not easy to give up control, but I know deep down that God's will and timing is perfect. The more I trust Him, the easier it will become.