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And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“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.”
Exodus 20:1 – 5
Idol worship is more subtle for us today than for those in the days of the Old Testament. Instead of a wooden or silver statue, we may choose to worship money and success. Our “healthy” quest to look our best may actually be an idolization of outward beauty.
We naturally find it easier to dedicate our time, money, love and strength to the things we think we control. And there’s the trap. Idols always end up controlling us. Even the words we use to talk about our idols reveal their suffocating effect — we get wrapped up in work or addicted to shopping.
In contrast, worshiping God always has a liberating effect. He asks for our total dedication to free us from bondage. God knows our great temptation to worship idols. That’s why he highlighted the importance of proper worship from the very beginning of his relationship with Israel.
God spoke about faithfulness in his first commandment to the Israelites. Today, God still asks for our wholehearted devotion. Are there “idols” in your life right now that are preventing you from wholehearted devotion? Ask God to reveal them, and then take steps to remove them.
PRAYER
O Holy God, the idols I see in my life are …
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“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.”
Exodus 20:1 – 5
Idol worship is more subtle for us today than for those in the days of the Old Testament. Instead of a wooden or silver statue, we may choose to worship money and success. Our “healthy” quest to look our best may actually be an idolization of outward beauty.
We naturally find it easier to dedicate our time, money, love and strength to the things we think we control. And there’s the trap. Idols always end up controlling us. Even the words we use to talk about our idols reveal their suffocating effect — we get wrapped up in work or addicted to shopping.
In contrast, worshiping God always has a liberating effect. He asks for our total dedication to free us from bondage. God knows our great temptation to worship idols. That’s why he highlighted the importance of proper worship from the very beginning of his relationship with Israel.
God spoke about faithfulness in his first commandment to the Israelites. Today, God still asks for our wholehearted devotion. Are there “idols” in your life right now that are preventing you from wholehearted devotion? Ask God to reveal them, and then take steps to remove them.
PRAYER
O Holy God, the idols I see in my life are …
