Soap Sculpture Idol

Anyone else remember making soap bar carvings in elementary art class?
I do.  It was fun.  Probably why I still have the memory floating around in my brain.
Anyhoo -
While praying this morning, I had a bit of confession time with God over my failing to keep HIM real and alive in my life.  My prayer went something like this:

    "God, Thank You for being a real, live God.  Not some stone statue or idol made from rock.
        (oh, that was redundant - I'll try better....)  Thank you that You are not a wooden idol
     on a shelf or some soap sculpture idol.  (Whoa - soap sculpture?  Where did that come from?)"

The more I thought about it, the more soap sculpture idol made sense.  That is how I often treat God.

* Soap is easy to carve.  I fool myself into thinking I can make God into who I want Him to be.  Carve Him into an image of my choosing.

* I only use soap when I am dirty.   All too often I forget about God until I am dirty and need cleansed.

* Soap smells good --- and tastes bad.  I enjoy the fragrance of Christ.  The idea of getting close to Him.  But I'm hesitant to "taste and see that the Lord is good".  The idea of Christ appeals to me.... but do I really want to take a bite, so to speak???  

I realize this analogy is imperfect.  Because when I really do taste God-Soap; it is delicious and satisfying.  Then again, maybe it does work.  Afterall - the soap version of God is an idol. 

God isn't a soap idol - He is living and breathing.  He is the bread of life..... And I love bread :)