We often think of idols as graven images of humans or animals fashioned by machines or human hands and which people worship.
Yet, here’s another definition of idols that I was just mulling over.
You see, in a broader sense, idols can be anything in our lives that takes us away from serving God with all our minds, our hearts and our souls.
When we place something, someone, or even some issue on a pedestal so much so that it occupies our minds and time all through most of our waking hours, it qualifies as an idol.
This idol can be good or bad — it can be our work, our ambition to make more money, a new hobby, a computer game, and even our church activities!
In short, any person, thing or activity that takes us away from actually devoting time to God can be considered an idol. How often do we say to ourselves that we have no time for prayer or reading the Bible or participating in fellowship because we are too busy doing some other things that we think more important?
Wait a minute, how then can you say that we worship these idols?
Well, you see, our Lord Jesus Christ taught that where our treasures are, there our hearts will be, didn’t He? Now if our minds, hearts and souls were to be filled with these “precious” thoughts and activities, aren’t we in some ways worshiping them as idols?
I am often guilty of this all too often.
However, when I think about it, God has provided us the way out from being slaves to our idols and have more time for Him!
How might this be, you ask?
Doesn’t our Lord Jesus Christ say this:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
The Apostle Peter reinforced Christ Jesus’ message when he said:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
There’s no care nor burden that our Lord Jesus Christ cannot lift off your shoulders, but when He does, it is so that we have the time and energy to draw nearer to Him through prayer and reading God’s Word.
We need be careful that we don’t unnecessarily fashion idols out of things, issues, activities or even people in our lives that become stumbling blocks to devoting time to worship, to fellowship, and to diligently study God’s Word.
Because there is simply no excuse to when we have such a wonderful promise from our Lord Jesus Christ!
Photo Credit: dckf_$êr@pH!nX.
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Excellent Sicarii!!! This is one of those subjects that don’t get much “ear” time. Very good!
I agree with Carol. Excellent post!
I especially took note of the part of how even our church activities can become idols. Until recently, I was involved in so many acitivities that I found myself too tired to get in the Word. Also, I was not able to minister effectively to others. I was dodging phone calls from fellow brother in Christ and not following through with my commitments. God spoke to me about this. He said, “Michael, you are a human being not a human doing”! Since then I have dropped a couple of groups and began to focus more diligently on my studies. This has also allowed me some time to begin my outreach ministry. Praise God!
One thing that I would like to add. We can be in the Word even when we are not physically reading it. Meditation is the key. I believe that if we allow God’s Word to become our dominant thought, we can be in the Word at any waken moment, no matter where we are.
John 15:4-8
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Excellent post!
I, too, at one time was so wrapped up in my church activities until it had become a draining obsession that I actually felt was interfering with my relationship with the Most High. It was at this time that I had to take a serious step back and re-evaluate a few things!
I’ve also heard it said that an idol is anything you’d sacrifice your children for. When I first read this (sorry, forgot where), I was like, “yeah, right…unless a person is on drugs or mentally ill, people don’t go around sacrificing their children.” Then, as I thought about it more, I thought about how many children are neglected because their parents are workaholics or addicted to television or the internet, shopping or even charitable activities to the point where they make no time to spend with their children! I began to see the larger picture then. Anything or anyone has the potential to be an idol if we’re not careful and aren’t, at all times, focused on our priority (HIM)!
We all need to pause and take inventory of our lives now and then. Do an “idol sweep” so to speak.
Thanks for the reminder, Isaiah,
~Free
Dear Carol:
Thank you for your kind words!
Shalom Aleichem.
Dear Michael and Sister Free:
Thank you both for the kind words and for sharing.
Very often I find a lot of helpers at church so totally immersed in just the day-to-day tasks that they are ignoring their own spiritual well-being for the sake of others.
The ‘others’ then become their idols, and it is not God they serve anymore, but people and their whims.
I also believe that we shouldn’t be giving those who help out at church any grief for not being to help on some issues or another. After all, they are human like us, and our true refuge is our Lord Jesus Christ, not human beings.
Even pastors are not superman, and fallible as like all of us.
God bless you both with His grace and mercy.
Shalom Aleichem.