Idols

It is obvious that God hates idols.  He reminds us of this over and over again in His Word.  It makes perfect sense, he is our Creator and He should get our full affection.  Just as I should not be giving affection to other men, but only to my husband.  I can have other guy friends, just as I can enjoy other things in the world... but its when the affection, the dedication, the time spent on other things begins to overtake a persons life- is when you run into a problem.  God is jealous.  He doesn't want us to put things in front of Him, just like I wouldn't want JB to play video games more than spend time with me.  In my head, it makes perfect sense, yet the depth of God I still can't comprehend.  As I was reading 1 Samuel this morning, I came across a story that I hadn't noticed before...

The Ark has just been captured by the Philistines and so they decide to put it in the town of Ashdod where their other god, Dagon, resides.  Dagon was known to be a god of fertility and was depicted as half fish and half man.  He was also the father of Baal, who will be an even bigger idol.  So the philistines, who do not worship the God of Israel, thought it would be fine for the two to "bunk" together.  Yet, when they woke up, the statue of Dagon lay on the floor- bowing to the Ark of God.  They put him back up... "But when they rose early on the next morning behold, Dagon had fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him." (1 Sam 5:4)

When I read that section I was intimately aware of how God wants all of our attention.  I love the visual He gives us in this passage of what will happen when we compare other things to Him.  Whether that's money, a good job, security, children, marriage, sex, clothes, movies, tv, books... We need to acknowledge what that is.  Like Dagon, it may be something as serious as another religion or something unbiblical that we have to cut out of our life.  Or it could be that we are taking something good, like loving our children or working... and idolizing it so much that it would get precedence over what God would have us do.  That needs to be made lesser, so it doesn't obstruct the view of God.  And it will be painful.  The evil one will definitely make sure you believe this "thing" is more important than the one who Created you.  (Be on guard of that.)

What does this look like to you?  Don't wait another day if you are struggling with an idol that needs to be cut out.  If you don't believe me, read Scripture and hear the truth spoken repeatedly...

"You shall worship the Lord your God and only Him shall you serve." -Deut 6:16

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money." -Matt 6:24


"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, that that we may know him who is truth; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life.  Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1John 5:20-21