OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 5 & 6
POETRY: Psalm 115
NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 3
Have you ever stopped to think about idolatry? In the ancient world, many groups of people would literally make statues out of wood or metal. They would sacrifice animals to these idols. They would pray to these made up, created things.
The Psalmist talks at length about the silliness of such behavior, especially in the context of worshipping the actual Creator of the Universe:
Psalm 115:3-7 (ESV)
3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.
The point is clear: idols look like they can speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk, and talk, but they cannot. They offer something that is not real. It’s a mirage. It’s a false comfort. Worshipping that way is meaningless.
What does this have to do with us, you might ask? I don’t have an idol in my house. I don’t worship to anything made with hands.
Friends, I wish that was true. We still have idols today. They don’t frequently look like human images made of silver or gold. Perhaps they are other people. Perhaps they are the rectangular boxes we carry around in our pockets. Perhaps it’s our favorite sports team. Maybe it’s our job or our family. There are always things that vie for our allegiance and our attention.
Unlike the ancient idols, many of these things are not bad in themselves, as long as we walk in a balanced way. The balance begins, however, with total devotion to King Jesus. Full stop. End of story.
When we live unbalanced lives, we might find ourselves feeling more and more unsettled, anxious, or depressed. Living the way that God wants us to live does not guarantee a life free from those things, for sure, but the point remains: when our life is unbalanced, we get negative results. Just like the ancient people sacrificing to blind and mute forms of their own creation, we sometimes get too caught up in worldly things that take our minds in directions that are unhealthy and unhelpful.
As the Psalmist reminds us, the Lord is our help and shield. The Lord is the One who blesses us. The Lord is the one who is worthy of worship and honor. We shall praise the Lord!
-Will Barlow
Reflection Questions
Do you have things in your life that are idols or cause you to be unbalanced? What can you do to get back in balance?
Can you think of a time when you came out of a longer period of darkness and into light? How did that feel?
Can you think of a friend that has an obvious idol in their life? What can you do to help them find better balance? (Maybe telling the story from your answer in #2 could be a place to start.)
Seek Grow Love 