Idolatry

It seems odd to think of ourselves as idol worshipers in our modern culture, doesn’t it? And yet so many of us are. The idols that tend to attract out attentions are not as easy to spot as the icons of Old Testament times or the fetishes of superstitious people who still worship other gods. But they are just as real. They are just as damning. And God’s warning remains just as true: “Do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands” (Jeremiah 25:6).
Why is God against idolatry? Because its focus is on what man creates rather than on the Creator. God loves us and desires our highest good. He made us for Himself. Nothing – no person, no object – is to take His rightful place in our affections or attention.
Think about it. Does He have the pre-eminence in your affections? Do you desire Him above all else and everyone else? Or have others – idols – crowded Him out so that you live for others, seeking to please them above your God? And what priority do you give Him? How much of your attention does He receive? Do you talk with Him daily? Weekly? Monthly? Annually? Do you take vacations from God or with God?I urge you to take a moment and think about these things. If you have idols in your life, you must realize they are as great a sin as adultery or murder. Hear the word of the Lord in Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Have you?
(Kay Arthur)