What’s Your Idol?

This was originally posted on facebook.com/faithmattersblog.

Do you have an idol? We create idols to fit into our lives. They are the things that command our time, money, and attention. If something is in the place of God, it’s a sin.

We will worship something or someone. We were created to worship God, but if we put something else at the center of our attention, that’s what we worship. It controls us and steals our worship from God. Sin creates idols that take God’s place.

The idols that we create are often tangible and we can manipulate them. But we can’t manipulate God. When we talk to God, it’s not just like sitting down to talk to another person where we can get immediate feedback. But, no other idol can redeem us. Only Jesus Christ can do that.

I know throughout my lifetime, there have been many things that have been at the center of my attention for a time. My idols included sports, scrapbooking, and learning to play guitar. I’m sure there were others, but those are the ones that stick out in my mind. But they stole time away from God. When I was spending my time and energy on these, I wasn’t focused on God.

This was the focus of our sermon this past Sunday. Jon says that if we know the real God, we won’t want some cheap imitation. We have idols because we don’t really know the real thing. I think I’ve only recently begun to understand this. People say to “follow your heart”, but the heart is deceitful. God is not!

Not sure if you have an idol instead of God? Ask God to show you the idols in your life. You may not have it figured out, but just be honest with him and he will point you to the things you need to let go of.

I used to waste hours watching TV every evening. I mean I had several shows that I watched religiously every week. If I couldn’t be home to watch them, I recorded them so I could watch them later. I haven’t done that in months. I didn’t even realize that I was letting the TV run my life until I’m typing this. Wow, I have freed up several hours each evening that I can spend doing other things. Some of that time talking to my God or studying his word.

How about you? What’s your idol? You don’t have to tell me, I just want you to give it some thought and maybe pray about it. I bet God could point it out to you.

I don’t profess to be perfect, but I do hope that by writing this blog I can make you think and help to bring you closer to God. It something that God just laid on my heart one day and I’ve been doing it for several years. If something you’ve read here has planted a seed that leads you to discovery, it not me. It’s Him.

In Faith,
Pam