My tradition, the reformed faith, takes a strict position on the 2nd Commandment (graven images) ; we believe the spirit of this law forbids a believer from keeping images, especially art, of heavenly things, including even the earthly body of the Messiah, for His divine nature is inseparable.
Even this painting, which many would argue passes the letter of the law, does violence to the spirit of the law. When I disposed of it, my flesh resisted and I felt wounded. In this, I understood how man's fallen heart is eager to replace God with objects and become attached to them.
When I meditated on it, searched the Scriptures, and prayed... I became convicted that God wants His people to depend wholly on Him. So simple, yet difficult for us. The flesh clings to this world, and resists the Spirit.
Repent always.
#ToChristAlone
This one was hard. My wife and I had two wedding ceremonies: one in a chapel in the US and one in a shrine in Japan.
As part of that latter ceremony, we recieved a temple charm with my family name on it and both our names.
This charm is the most egregious of all the betraying momentos, aka religious objects that I possessed, since it literally was a signed seal over our marriage covenant.
It had become an important momento and symbol of our marriage. But now, as the Spirit is pressing me to rightly order my affections and clean my house, this charm can have no place in my walk.
#ToChristAlone
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