They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are short, some fat. Some are tall, some skinny. Some move fast, some are slow. Some breathe, walk, and talk. Others blink, clink, beep, or roar. What are they? Idols.
When we think of idols, we think of tiki statues, buddhas, or some other carved image to which others bow down. Idols are something that natives on Pacific islands worship or that people in other cultures create to represent their god.
But guess what? Twenty-first century Americans have idols too. You see, an idol is what we worship – that to which we ascribe ultimate value or worth. An idol is anything that competes with Christ for our attention, devotion, time, and effort. We need to remember the very first commandment God gave when He set the standards for His people:
You shall have no other gods before me. – Exodus 20:3
Our idols are celebrities whose faces grace screens big and small. Our idols bear the image of dead presidents and historical figures. Our idols consist of jobs, reputations, friends, family, dreams, and aspirations. Here's a little test to help determine if you have an idol:
- What/who occupies the majority of your thoughts?
- What/who does or would make you happy?
- What/whom could you not live without?
Ultimately, anything or anybody that becomes more important to us than Jesus is becomes an idol. In our lives, we need to make an intentional effort to make much of Jesus and little of ourselves and our own pursuits. Jesus deserves to the THE priority and THE ultimate pursuit and passion of our lives.
Most of us claim that He is . . . but is He really?
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. - 1 John 5:21
Action plan for today – look for specific ways to focus on Jesus throughout this day.
He must become greater; I must become less. – John 3:30
2 comments:
Its true, we have idols and I ask God to forgive me for puttibg idols befor him.
I like this blog
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