Jettison the Idols

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Exodus 20:4-6

We have been learning so much about worship.

One fact that should be clear to us is that we all worship something or someone.

 No one is exempt.

Maybe, in your case, it’s your job.

Maybe it’s another person in your life or a celebrity from politics, movies or sports.

Some people idolize a vacation spot or just their ‘alone’ time.

Anything we worship besides the Lord is a ‘cheap alternative’ that causes us to fall far, far short of our created purpose.

God’s good plans for us include the worship of Him as our Father.

Not because He needs an ego boost but because, as we have learned, we become like what we worship.

God is our loving Father who cares for each one of us in ways we cannot fully comprehend. As we worship Him and as we spend time with Him we become like Him. We have all heard of, or maybe know, some married couples who have been so in love with one another for so many years that they begin to look like each other.

That is what I am talking about.

Who do you resemble?

Is it evident to others that you are a child of God or do they walk away from you wondering where in the world you learned the behavior you just exhibited to them?

I hope it is the latter.

What I am calling ‘alternative worship’ is worship beneath what you and I were created to do.

Let God do some serious heart cleaning in your life and determine to worship God alone and not some second rate and non-fulfilling alternative.

Church, it’s time to jettison the idols!