This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. (Ezekiel 24:21) (NIV)
When I was seven, Dad modified a used bicycle for me. He added a horizontal bar to make it into a boy’s bike and installed training wheels.
I jumped in excitement. It didn’t take long to outgrow the training wheels, and they were removed. Next came the dismount. I developed a system of circling our cul-de-sac and yelling, “Mom,” until she ran out and grabbed the bike so I didn’t fall over.
Now my heavenly Father is teaching me to pedal a faith that doesn’t need earthly affections. One by one he knocks away the training wheels until I am cruising on faith alone.
God told the Israelites he was about to desecrate the temple, the object of their affection. A temple was a sacred place ordained by God himself, but he was to be the target of their affections, not his temple. There are many wholesome gifts from God—family, ministries, traditions—but when my affections rest on them, instead of on the Lord, they are training wheels to remove.
Father asked me if he was enough for me. When I said yes, he asked me to quit my career so it wouldn’t come between us. Then he asked me to sell a beautiful house, then to leave a pastorate I enjoyed. He desecrated my temples. Today he asks me to hold ministry plans loosely so they don’t become the targets of my primary affection.
Affections are like pigeons seeking a place to land. Remove the tree and they’ll settle on the bench, remove the bench and they’ll circle around to the statue. My affections are always looking for something to land on, and I have to make sure they rest only on Jesus.
Prayer: Savior, remove my affections for everything except you.