Sacrificing the Children

“You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags.  The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent?” Isaiah 57:5-6

This is God speaking to his children, they have strayed so far. They have many idols and their devotion is to those idols, not God.  They are so devoted to their idols that they are sacrificing their children. They take their children to ravines and watch as their blood is spilled on the smooth stones as a sacrifice to their idols.

This just chills my blood. I read this in my quiet time and the disgust rose in me. Human sacrifice, appalling right?  But as a mom the idea of sacrificing my own child is beyond that. But as I mentally sat in this spot in the scripture God took me back to a blog I read earlier this week, Little Girl Lost.  Fran gives her testimony and as a little girl the lifestyle of her parents had a huge affect on her. And my heart was broken as God whispered quietly to me “Her parents too sacrificed her for their idols, drugs and self.”  I thought of my own childhood and many others whose parents have chose their idols of drugs, sex, alcohol, and self. I thought of the millions of children in our country and in the world around us who are sacrificed daily to their parents idols. It made me sick!  But the Lord didn’t stop there with me. He took me deeper.

“There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus.  If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me.” Oswald Chamber

“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” Deuteronomy 5:29

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Deuteronomy 5:7

God gave the Israelites this command to have no other gods “so that it might go well with them and their children forever.”  Clearly here things are not going well for the children because the parents had forsaken this first commandment.  But God took me deeper reminding me of times I too have had idols in my life. The most dangerous of all being self.   Looking back it may not have been clear to me then but it is very clear to me know that whenever there has been an idol in my life I have willingly sacrificed my children. And that sickens me more than the thought of the Isrealites sacrificing their children.

As I shared this with my oldest daughter she was so confused. She said, “Mom, what are you talking about.  You have never done anything like that. You have never sacrificed us.”  But, I have.  It may not have come in the form of the obvious like drugs, sex, or alcohol but it has happened. I reminded her of a time several years ago when I read a book series that totally grabbed my attention. I stayed up late regardless of the four little ones I had to take care of.  I put them in front of movies to entertain them for hours so that I would not be interrupted. I was too busy feeding my idol, self.  I gave sandwiches and cereal for meals so I didn’have to cook and clean big messes. I totally sacrificed what was best for my kids for my idol. Their safety was not at stake but I think it is clear that I didn’have their best interest at heart either.

Idols creep in where we least expect them. Maybe it’s a cellphone, a game, Facebook, a tv show. Maybe you are even putting those idols in front of your children so that you can have more time with your idol. Sacrificing the children... and God asks the Isrealites, “In view of this, should I relent? (Is 57:6)

Father, open our eyes to idols that are disease in our lives.  God may you be the only One we desire to serve.  May nothing come before You.

For more detail on possible idols read Maggie’s blog, Jeleous for Us.