When we think of idol worship we often think of the golden calf. Moses was on the mountain and the people grew restless and impatient waiting for him so they formed a calf out of gold and began to worship it.
It’s an obvious form of idol worship. But what we often don’t realize, is while we may not have an actual golden calf, we still have idols.
I’m not talking about celebrities or musicians who get the spotlight for a time. We use the term idol a bit too facetiously I think.
An idol is anything we give more importance to or preeminence to over God. Plain and simple, if it consumes our time, our schedule, our mind more than our worship and service of God, it’s become an idol.
And most of us are blind to the fact that we have an idol. And we certainly don’t want to hear that we have one. But let’s be honest and search our hearts.
Is there something in your life that everything else has to revolve around? Maybe you schedule everything else in your week or month around that one thing? I know many people’s schedules revolve around sports. Church, small group, youth group are missed because of games or tournaments or even just practices.
Is there something that consumes your mental energy far beyond other things? You think about it when you aren’t doing it and find ways to make that thing work over anything else. Now, it’s not wrong to think of something over God or Scripture. But when it becomes all consuming, you need to be willing to prune it back.
Can you get up and out the door early for your favorite activity or event but can’t get up and put the door for church? Do you have time to practice or research or travel to attend your favorite thing but can’t seem to find time to sit with your Bible and God?
I’m not trying to be harsh or judgmental. I’m speaking to my own heart too. We can so easily allow an idol in without realizing it and we need each other to cause us to pause and think. Our pastor talked this last weekend about the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant and how God met his people there. Today, our hearts are that mercy seat and the Holy Spirit is here, waiting to commune with us.
But if something else is in the way, we won’t hear Him, we won’t recognize the tug to meet with Him and hear His loving voice. Let’s not let things of this world get in the way of heavenly things. Those are eternal and so much better anyway!
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Desired Haven Farm 