I don’t like to think that I worship idols. But in reality, from time to time, I do.  What about you? An idol is defined as “any person or thing regarded with blind adoration, admiration, or devotion”. I can think of a lot of people or things I adore or admire. Many that I am devoted to and as much as I hate to admit, I can count “self” among them. And some of the time, they take my eyes off of God and hinder my relationship with Him. Be careful, even “good things” can be idols.

In Judges 6, God gave Gideon the task of tearing down his father’s altar of worship to Baal and the Asherah pole beside it. Then, he was to build an altar to worship God. Gideon had to destroy, or tear down, the altar to idols before he could build back up an altar to worship the One, True God. The idols had to be done away with because they hindered right worship.

Anything that takes our mind and priorities off of God and places them anywhere else, is an idol. Anything that hinders our relationship with God, is an idol. And it must be torn down, or done away with. Now, I’m not saying to do away with those you love or to stop doing everything you enjoy. But, God must be the number one priority in our lives. And if not, we are unable to give him the worship that only He is worthy of. Pray for God to  reveal to you your idols. It may be time for some demolition and reconstruction!

© 2019 Robin R King

Judges 6:25 (NIV)

²⁵ That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. ²⁶ Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”

Matthew 22:36-37  (NIV)

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”