The Bible has clear prohibitions against idolatry. It made God’s top ten commandment list. We read of pagan nations building huge idols on which some even sacrificed their children by burning them alive. When you see this kind of evil, you understand God’s reasons for telling us to avoid these practices.
But do we need statues of other worldly beings in our home to be guilty of idolatry? I don’t think so. In fact, God’s purpose in giving us this command is more about the focus of our worship than on the images that represent the pagan gods. This is clear from the very first commandment in this list of ten. Deuteronomy 5:7 says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” This means the sin of idolatry is simply allowing anything in our lives to be more important than God and his will.
It is easy to sit back and declare our devotion to God and say he is first place in our lives. The real test is not our pronouncement, but our actions. Some proclaim God to be a priority in our lives, yet our worship of him consists of a few minutes on Sunday, unless our family has something else to do. We say we love him more than anything else, but we can’t seem to chisel out time in our day for communication with him. We pledge to follow God’s will in every area of our lives, but get so busy with our own plans, we don’t take time to affirm they align with God’s desire. This is not an attempt to take us on a guilt trip, but a challenge to evaluate how closely we are living in obedience to God’s command.
God’s Spirit regularly challenges me on this issue. It is so easy to go about my business “serving the Lord” and still hold on to my will more tightly than his. Recently, I was asked by a person outside our church body to do something for him that I’m not entirely comfortable doing. My hesitancy is not because it is sinful or inappropriate. In fact, the request falls squarely in the opportunities of a pastor. I told him I would seek God’s direction as to my involvement and get back with him. I am in that process now. I have been praying consistently about this opportunity but have realized my prayers have been seeking God’s help in getting me out of the responsibility, rather than asking for his plan for me. They have been prayers of selfishness, not openness.
I have come to realize that my own will can become an idol in my life when it is placed ahead of God’s plan. I have sought forgiveness for this, and God has now made it clear he wants me to meet this request, despite my discomfort. Since I’ve made this commitment, the Spirit of God has removed my apprehension and provided peace.
Take a few minutes and think through your schedule for this week. Does it reflect a man who has God as the most important aspect of your life? Look at your choices. Is God’s will driving those decisions or have your own desires become more important? If your analysis proves you are keeping God as top priority, spend time committing to remain there. But if you see that other things have crept into the top spot, confess those. But don’t stop there. Begin today making the lifestyle changes necessary to allow God to gain the top spot in your life.