This week I've been looking at idolatry. Many of us are familiar with the false god's of old, such as the Greek, Roman and Egyptian gods that were created by mankind to explain different aspects of nature, business and life.
We often overlook the less obvious idols that we establish by placing things above God in our lives. These could be material items, such as money, our homes, cars, clothing, food, etc. They could be people, such as family, political and religious leaders. They might even be good causes such as charities or even the church. Anything we place above God on our scale of importance -- anything we love more than God -- is an idol.
So, how do we eliminate idols from our lives. I won't profess it to be easy, because it isn't. But, it starts with a personal relationship with Jesus. If you ask Jesus to come into your life and proclaim him as your savior, then God will send His Spirit to reside in you. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can truly sense when we are establishing idols.
Through consistent prayer and Bible reading, Christians can start to identify the things that are out of whack in their lives, and then put them in their proper place. What's cool about this process is that while God is a jealous god, and will not share His role with idols, He is also a very patient and gracious God. He gave the Israelites plenty of time to try to correct their behavior before pouring out judgement. I believe He will work similarly for those Christians that recognize their shortcomings and work to repent of them.
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