I think the modern idiom is “I don’t want to go down that rabbit hole.” When we encounter a temptation or a topic of conversation or anything that draws us into “the dark side,” draws us into depression and discouragement, we know we are on a slippery slope. My husband would say, “Are you chewing on that bone again!” and I would know I am revisiting a topic that my mind cannot seem to resolve and therefore my emotions become darkened. Paul in Romans 1 argues that all people know there must be a god as he reveals himself clearly in nature – the beauty of creation and created life. When we choose to deny that and give credit God deserves to something other than God, we call it idolatry. The children of Israel making the golden calf while Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments would be a Biblical example. We can make idols out of human talent, science, government, and almost anything. We draw our sense of value, our sense of identity from that thing that is not God. When we become confused like that, the result is that other areas in our life become out of balance also. He says in verse 22, “22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images.” We become sheep following the wrong shepherd.
We tend to think of God zapping us when we are bad, not unlike getting a spanking from our parent. I wonder if that fender bender is God punishing me for something I did wrong. Often, though, my problem is the result of my own error. I should not have been texting and driving. I should not have stayed out late partying. Of course I then was tired and caught a cold.
Paul talks of another way though that God deals with sin. “God gave them up to their lusts…” Modern day English might say, “I wash my hands of this,” or “Learn the hard way then.” God does not force us to obey and does not force us to love him. We have agency. God did not make robots but people made in his image and we have the choice to live in partnership with him.
Sometimes we say that our conscience is bothering us. The Holy Spirit nudges us. We have to admit we really were snarky and snapped at a friend. We stubbornly ate that dessert. We knowingly sped knowing we were late. As Paul has said, this is a moral dilemma not an intellectual challenge. At that moment, our will is having the light of the Spirit of Truth shown on it. Let us pray today that when we have those moments of truth, we will submit our will to the wisdom of God. Lord help us not to go down the rabbit hole of stubbornness and rebellion. Open our eyes and ears to hear your voice today.
On the Way to Wonder 