“We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.” ~ A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy.

What a true word! What we worship, we become–even when we worship God! And what danger, because when we worship a false, a broken, an imperfect image of God, those imperfections themselves get imprinted on our faith. Do you believe God is cruel and harsh? You are likely to be cruel and harsh. Do you believe God is unforgiving? You are likely to be unforgiving yourself. Do you believe God is an abstraction of power? You are likely to find yourself worshipping power in all its forms. Do you think God is love (in such a way that you could also say “love is God”)? Then your faith will be all sentiment, and no cross.

There can be no substitute, no exchange, no replacement of the image that God desires to place on our hearts, for the image that we choose for God in our hearts. God’s image must always win. Our image must always be shattered. How much better when we are the ones who wield the hammer and cry, “Not this, but the real You! Not what I want, but what You will!” God, let Yourself be all in all, and may we willfully shatter all our false idols in sacrifice to know you more.

[Related Post: The One-Way Ladder (On the Doctrine of God).]