Let us follow other gods… it is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Deuteronomy 13
Every day of life we are caught in a battle between the gods. These gods actually are at war for control of our hearts. Our joy in life and our eternal destiny hang in the balance of this battle. Nowadays we must move beyond the primitive understanding of idolatry. Idolatry isn’t bowing down to a piece of wood or stone, rather it’s the one great sin that all others come from. This is why idolatry is the most discussed problem in the entire Bible. Just a few of the modern gods we battle with include comfort, pleasure, performance, romance, sex, money, family, power and “me.” Behind every sin struggle that you and I have is a false god that is waging war in our lives.
When the Lord God takes His rightful place on the throne of our hearts, we will have victory. As followers of Jesus we must daily examine our lives to see which gods we have at the center. The struggle is this: are we simply making God a part of our lives, or is He our life?
The two gods I struggle most with are “me” and “performance.” The “me” god says that I am the captain of my life and I know what is best for “me.” At the top of my list are comfort and success. So the “me” god prays for a “good day” to occur. This means no problems, no flat tires, and no interruptions to “my” agenda. “Good days” end up being a higher priority than drawing close to the Lord. The “me” god focuses in on my perceived needs and wrestles control from God Almighty. Whining is the most definitive way to spot the god of “me” in our lives. I also struggle with the performance god which ends up in image manipulation. I want people to approve of me more than I want God’s approval. Both of these gods end up denying the gospel and crowding God out of my heart.
Anything at all can become an idol in our lives when it becomes a substitute for God. The object of your worship will determine your future and define your life. So the most important choice we will make today is, which god will we serve?
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