Wednesday Reflection, November 18, 2020

Wednesday Reflection, November 18, 2020

God above idols

O Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but we acknowledge your name alone. Isaiah 26:13

Whilst it would appear that idolatry (the worship of idols) was merely a thing of the past in which images be it of stone or wood, were created and people bowed to the inanimate objects; idolatry is still a very prominent thing today and is practiced perhaps more frequently than some of us even realize.

Unger’s bible dictionary defines idolatary as ‘the paying of devine honors to any created thing; worship in the form of idealism or abstractions or mental qualities.’ The bible also defines the practice as coveteousness, which is setting one’s heart and mind on anything other than the Creator and His perfect, living laws.

Tim Keller wrote, “what is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give”.

When the Isrealites entered into Palestine after their 40 years sojourn, they found the Canaanites already deeply rooted in idolatry. The people were enticed partly because it was new and different from Godly religion and possibly because of a tendency of a rigourous faith and ethic to weaken under the influence of sexual attractions. They ignored the Lord’s admonitions and found them self sinking in a pit they themselves dug.

According to C.S Lewis, “what satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could…be their own masters- invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history- money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery- the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy. The reason it can never succeed is this. God made us…”

Friends, what idols have we created and are holding dear? What are the things, who are the people we are inclined to give more devotion to than the Lord? Is it a job, relationship, spouse/child, social media, ambition, money?

2 Timothy 3:2-5 described our current reality, “people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

Until next week, I pray we will all become aware of idolatrous influences, leace no space for such curiosity but give top priority to God and His Word.

Amen

Kerone Lamoth