Divine Trinkets

Actually it's rather easy, almost too much so...to forget.

Forget what things mean.

Forget the past.

Forget your own purpose.

Forget who God is, where God is, what God is doing.

And then attribute the actions of God to magical mantras and the power of God in divine trinkets.

It happens all the time. Some claim answers come in special prayers, God is found in special places, present in special things. But with a cross in my pocket, a mezusa on my door, the Lord's prayer on my lips will I have more from God than others?

Well, maybe!

You see, Israel strayed from the point of God's power and presence. They became arrogant as they grew as a more cohesive nation. They knew that God had given them much, their history had proven it, their stories told about it. And the understanding grew to almost mythic proportions, to where God was reduced to a gold covered box.

No, they didn't believe God was contained there, but they did begin to believe that whoever had the Ark of the Covenant held the power and blessing of God, that the Ark in the center of community would unite them, the ark moving before the army would bring victory, the ark was their lucky "rabbits foot."

But God isn't reduced to divine trinkets or special mantras. God doesn't want to be used for power or control. God is relational and wants us to be as well. That doesn't mean that special prayers have no meaning or that the faith trinkets we carry in our pockets or hang on our walls (or refrigerators) have no value. But they hold no power. They are simply reminders of our need to believe and trust in the One God.

I do carry a trinket in my pocket, a labyrinth. I don't believe in it or pray to it. It's not there to remind me of God, but to remind me to go with God on the journey.

Take God with you, not God-stuff.

Peace ><>
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