Idolatry of the Mind
This week I was listening to a clip of John Lennox speaking about idolatry when one phrase made me stop in my tracks:
“Christianity is when I trust God and use my mind. Idolatry of the mind is when I trust my mind and use God.”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone put it quite like that.
It made me wonder how often I quietly trust my own discernment first, only turning to God when my plans stop working. How often do I assume that if something makes perfect sense to me, it must also be God’s will?
I can think of more than one occasion when, from every human perspective, everything seemed perfectly fine. And yet the Holy Spirit kept whispering, “No. Don’t do it. Don’t go that way.” Looking back, I’m deeply grateful I listened. Looking ahead, I hope I keep learning to.
I’ll be carrying this with me—not just into the weekend, but probably for much longer: the idolatry of the mind.
A New Voice I’m Grateful to Have Found
Another discovery this week was Stuart Olyott.
I first came across a short clip of him reflecting on Romans 8:28. Before long, I had started another sermon—this one on living the Christian life—and found myself wanting to hear more.
His style reminds me of those conversations that seem completely unassuming… until, all of a sudden, a laser beam hits you, and you’re thinking about what was said for days afterward.
If you’ve listened to a sermon recently that has stayed with you, I’d genuinely love to hear about it. Feel free to leave a recommendation in the comments.
One Song I’ve Been Carrying
I’ve found myself returning to this song by my fellow countryman, the Brazilian artist Marcos Almeida, throughout the week.
These lines, especially, have stayed with me:
Deus preferiu essa carne
Não quis os templos que eu posso construir
Com minhas mãosMe fez casa, eu sou morada
Lugar de Deus
Que não está lá fora
Mas sim mora dentro de mim
God chose this flesh.
He did not choose the temples
I could build with my own hands.
He made me His home.
A dwelling place for God,
Who is not out there,
But lives within me.
It’s one of those songs that gently shifts my attention back to what is already true.
♪ “Casa” by Marcos Almeida
A Question to Carry
Is there something you’ve come across this week—a book, a sermon, a conversation, a song, or even a simple moment—that you’ll be carrying with you into the weekend?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Shalom and Love of Christ,
Samara