False idols in our life can take on many forms. Anything that consumes our life and keeps us from God can become an idol. Worshiping any person or object in place of God the Creator separates us from him. The Bible tells us that God is a jealous God. We are instructed by God not to worship anything other than him.
Exodus 20:4-6 NASB “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
The Bible is not only telling us to refrain from worshiping false idols but all things that separate us from him as well. What consumes your life? Break apart your day to see where your idols lie. Take sleep and a 40 hour work day out of your schedule. What time is left remaining in your life? We can consume ourselves with endless things other than God. Are we working too much? Is our spiritual life put on hold while we make false idols out of work? Losing ourselves in extracurricular activities can also separate us from God. Do we go to a soccer tournament on Sunday morning instead of attending Church?
Getting rid of false idols in our life.
We all need to examine our lives and free ourselves from false idols. We must put God first in our life. He cannot take a back seat to activities or things going on in our lives. The more we include God in our life, the happier he is with us. When we find time for daily prayer, scripture reading, and reflection, it keeps us connected to God.
Exodus 20:3 NASB “You shall have no other gods before Me.
You can't get any more to the point then Exodus 20:3. Our hearts and minds should have a spiritual craving. When we crave worldly things, we are often left empty inside. Stuff is nothing more than baggage in our lives. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. With that in mind, I try to make the focus of my day on God. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be successful in life. Nothing wrong with chasing the “American Dream.”
We just need to caution and guard ourselves so that we do not overstep our hand. We can be successful in life and successful in worshiping God at the same time.
Thanking God throughout the day for your accomplishments and praying for help in your failures keeps you connected with God. When his hand is in your work, you can know that without a doubt that you being taken care of. Cut free the false idols in your life. Make God the center of every situation good or bad.