Ashmouth

In my daily reading today , I read God's ridicule of idolatry. But in his gracious, severe mercy he mocks what is mockable. He shames what is shameworthy. Why? Does mocking a mocker deliver him from his folly? Apparently! (Although prophets get away with this in ways pastors never do, with maybe the exception of Doug Wilson and his Serrated Edge).

Are you an ashmouth? God said I didn't!!

Isaiah 44.18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Part of idolatry is the delusional lack of discernment that makes folly look wise and death look like life and ashes look like food!! The blindness of our God-forsaking lusts lets us mistake all kinds of worthless things for something to which we could sing, "WORTHY!"

One of the keys to understanding what God does in granting us repentance is that not only are we offered the worthy object of worship and trust but also the appetite for him. If ashes are on our menu by nature, then he must change us so that we seek after him. After we are renewed we can and must say, "EEWWW! Why am I holding this, this, thing in my hands. It is nothing and it's disgusting. Show me something worthy and clean me up, please!!"