For the Love of Strange Medicine

One of my favorite singers, and quite possibly one of the best ever, in my opinion, is Steve Perry. Most people know him from his time spent as the lead singer for Journey. If you know me, you know I love this man's voice. plus just look at him... 

 p.s. nice hat Steve ;)

 ...sigh....*cough* anyway...

He also did a couple solo albums, Street Talk, and For the Love of Strange Medicine. On the latter, he wrote a song sharing the name of the album title. The message of this song is one in which every human being can relate too, whether through admitting it or not...

We all have something in our lives that we love to do, a hobby, a pastime, an enjoyment. But when does that enjoyment become something more then it should be? It begins to take up all of our time, and money. All our focus has become consumed in this one treasure we refuse to give up. We hide it from the rest of the world, "Far inside the dark room, behind all the walls, underneath the concrete, Heaven starts to fall". At what point does a simple game of cards turn into a gambling addiction? "Rollin' dice remember"  At what point does simple pleasure become obsession? "What promises regret?"

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Christ has a few things to say about this subject familiar to all of us... Idolatry. First of all what is idolatry? Dictionary defines it as follows: 1. the religious worship of idols. 2. excessive or blind adoration. 

What does He say about it...

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Do not have any other gods before me.You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God." Ex. 20: 2-5

Though we have a God who is always faithful and fulfilling to our every need, we still seek out fixes to our temporary desires. These desires, though ever tempting and somewhat fulfilling, they will always fail us. Why? 

1. They are not real, and have no life or saving grace to offer: 

"Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it". Habakkuk 2:19

2.  When put up against the Holiness and Righteousness of God they will perish:

"They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish." Jeremiah 10:15

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"Some are believers, some don't know, they're lost and alone. Some are deceivers, their souls been sold, for the love of strange medicine"

Have we been sold to the promise of a false idol, strange medicine that only poisons? "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" 2 John 5:21. And also, "Don't Stop Believin'"... in the one who is Holy above all else.