Giving it up

Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 94
Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment?
A. That I, not wanting to endanger my very salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry, magic, superstitious rites, and prayer to saints or to other creatures. That I sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust him alone, look to him for every good thing humbly and patiently, love him, fear him, and honor him with all my heart. In short, that I give up anything rather than go against his will in any way.

People laugh when I tell them I’m an emotional eater. This is probably because I’m skinny. It may also be because the concept of the emotional eater is a little funny. If you’re not familiar with the expression, an “emotional eater” is someone who eats primarily to meet an emotional need rather than a physical need. I love food. I devote more mental energy than I should thinking about food. I have high expectations of the ways food will fulfill me as a human being. I’m disappointed when food doesn’t meet my expectations. At times I eat when I’m not even hungry. It’s all because I need food to do something more for me than what food was designed to do.

Everyone has something like this. An experience or relationship or object we expect to do for us something it wasn’t designed to do. Provide security; affirmation; identity; comfort. These are the things that become hang-ups; obsessions; addictions; unhealthy attachments. The provisional things from which we hope to derive something ultimate.

The Bible identifies these things as idols. As post-enlightenment, smart people, we think of idols as primitive religious objects. We therefore don’t think ourselves in any danger of committing that cardinal sin – idolatry. We have to think again. Idolatry is, in fact, allowing any person, place or thing to inhabit the space in our hearts only God should inhabit.

The Catechism challenges us to give up anything that pulls us out of line with God’s will. Immediately we ask, “How do I know what about my life contravenes God’s will?” Maybe a more appropriate question is, “What would I be unwilling to give up, should God ask it of me?” The reality is that most of the things we’d refuse to give up are things we won’t carry into eternity, anyway. What’s the thing in your life about which, should God say, “That or me?” you’d say, “No way!” What good thing has become your ultimate thing? That’s your idol. God offers to give you – in a purer, more abundant, and more lasting form – whatever you think your substitute is giving you. Paradoxically, if you seek the ultimate from God, you’ll experience greater satisfaction, less anxiety and far less disappointment in the temporal gifts he’s given you. Try it.