Golf and Fertility Goddesses

So, last night I was watching David Feherty's interview with Phil Mickelson.

(This is a golf thing, but if you don't know who they are or just don't care about golf, keep reading, because it's not really about golf).

And at one point Feherty asks Phil if he believes in the powers of the fertility goddess in Hawaii. To which Phil responds something to the effect of, "Oh, you don't know the story, do you?"

And then Phil goes on to explain how he and his wife, Amy, struggled with infertility, and shortly before going on fertility medication for their first child, they traveled to Hawaii. While there, someone told them to "ask the fertility goddess to help them get pregnant." So, they go to this statue of this fertility goddess, rub it, and then they get pregnant with their first child without medication.

And for their second child, they did the same thing. Were told they'd need medication, and instead rubbed this Hawaiian fertility goddess statue.

Now, while Phil is telling this whole story, he and Feherty are laughing it off, and ultimately Phil caps the story by saying something like, "So yeah, we believe in the Hawaiian fertility goddess."

And you know, a few years ago I would've laughed it off too.

"Hahaha, silly fertility goddess... hahaha..."

Except, scripture tells us that these gods and goddesses that are not of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob actually DO have power, and that people have worshipped them (knowingly or unknowingly) throughout history.

"The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs [Asherah is the fertility goddess of the Canaanites]." Judges 3:7

We are told that the god of this world (Satan) will perform miracles and wonders that will deceive many, because they have been blinded to the spiritual war that is occurring all around us.

"Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

There is a spiritual battle occurring all around us. And just because we can't see it happening directly, does not negate that it IS happening.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:10-13

Finally, you may be saying, what's the big deal? Why does it matter if they rubbed a fertility statue and got pregnant?

It matters because we are told to have NO other gods before YHWH (Yahweh, our God). In fact, this is repeated multiple times throughout the scriptures.

"You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3

"You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves." Exodus 20:23

"-- for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God--" Exodus 34:14

"You shall have no other gods before Me." Deuteronomy 5:7

"You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you..." Deuteronomy 6:14

"...with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them." 2 Kings 17:35

"Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god." Psalm 81:9

"I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images." Isaiah 42:8

"Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known..." Jeremiah 7:9

So, now you may be saying, "Well, rubbing a statue and hoping you get pregnant doesn't mean I am worshipping another god instead of our God."

And you know, a few years ago, I would've argued that exact same thing. The problem with that line of thought is that when we put our faith (even half-heartedly) into ANYTHING or ANYONE besides our God, we ARE directing our worship and putting our faith into something ELSE besides our God.

Even joking about it is serious stuff, y'all. God considers it adultery, and it's exactly why He exiled the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel. In fact, the Northern Kingdom was SO awful about putting their faith into the gods of the world, that the Father divorced them. That bad.

"During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the Lord." Jeremiah 3:6-10

I share these thoughts with you all because I want us all (myself included) to be more careful with our words and our actions. To make sure we are pure and set apart for the Father.

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21