These profound words stood out on the page as I read through Richard Lint's compelling book, 'Identity & Idolatry'. Deeply aware of the inner wrestles in my own battle in assuming control from God and his domain, that word 'domestication' thrust a new light on the nature of this personal addiction. Domestication embraces all of public charm and settledness, behind which I hide in naked rebellion carrying out my own thrust for godly power.

I also observe my own battle repeated in the lives of the men and women in prison that we serve. The idols of our hearts make something of sense, they are maintained by a logic that continues to serve their existence and defy the very effort to remove them. It remains humanity's battle ground, evidenced in the warnings by the Old Testament prophets, and urgings by the Apostles and church fathers.

We allow the word 'Addiction' to describe the other, the one taken by alcohol, by pornography, by assorted amphetamines; but in truth my idolatry, domesticated as it is, is rightly named as an addiction and one that I cannot battle alone.

When God said "I am a jealous God." he was not defying the existence of a pantheon of god's, but the ability of the human heart to craft and fashion our own self-serving power and comfort - and then worship that as our god. To replicate and then worship something more able to be controlled on our just terms.

#prisoner and #addict are horrible #hashtags on our identity, however it remains true until, and unless, Jesus Christ by the power of his Holy Spirit is given freedom to bring an ongoing conviction and restoration work in our lives.

As we work on the development of our new rehabilitation programs, identity and idolatry are powerful themes in need of insight, conviction and restoration. They are linked by the simple and profound act of worship. 

Peter Schultz