“Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.” 2 Kings 23:24
“Gesundheit!” Broken mirrors, Walking under ladders. Stepping on a crack. Hats on the bed. Shoes on the table. Salt over the shoulder, and black cats.
Crosses, crucifixes, rosaries.
Tchotchke from the Christian store.
What do these three groups have in common? The first are clearly superstitions. The second can become objects of superstition. And for anyone who wants to point fingers, I added the last one in there to show that even run-of-the-mill Protestants can be superstitions. Many love their Chinese-made religious doo-dads.
So what do we mean about superstition and superstitious - simply trusting in something other than God - often an action or an object - for our well-being or to ward of calamity. We are not immune to this.
The people of Israel often suffered from falling into superstition, so much so that King Josiah had to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the objects and practices. For us, many thing can become superstitions - if we do or do not do then this or that will happen. Remember the special shirt you wear to the “big game.”
Exodus 20:3 tells us that we only have one God. Jesus tells us that we are to love God completely - that means trusting as well. Marin Luther explains the First Commandment thusly - “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all thing.”
Do not let anything become a superstition - even the good things of this world such as crosses, crucifixes, rosaries, which in themselves can be great aids to prayer pointing to God. This goes doubly for the plastic Jesus on your dashboard.
Prayer: I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night form all harm and danger; and I pray that you would keep me this day from all sin and evil …” Help me to trust in you above all things. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.