Every one of us is created by God. At the same time, we may confess that our goal is to glorify God. And despite this divine design of our lives, we are all prone to wander from the true God and worship false gods of our own making.
Idolatry has taken many forms throughout history. Some were made of wood, and overlaid with precious metals. Some were well-known pagan deities to whom whole temples were built. Today, our idols seem a bit more sophisticated. Money, power, fame, reputation, sex, and appearance, are common idols. Even good things can be idolized like relationships, health, social media, and even church. Because idols are simply something that we elevate in our lives above God. Idolatry is what we put first, what has captured our hearts, and where we find our identity.
Idolatry tends to work itself in one of two ways: we deify creation while denying God, or we exalt ourselves while excluding God. In the first way we trust in what has been made to somehow define and deliver us. The second is when elevate our will, desires and ego above all else, and attempt to become our own authority.
Despite the glaring deficiencies in our man-made idols and ourselves when compared to the glory of God, we still bow down to things we created rather than the Creator. Maybe it’s because idolatry is easier than faith. We defy creation and worship what we can see, taste, touch, and measure. In most cases it is something we can have control over.
God cannot be measured or touched and He surely cannot be controlled. Our longing for immediate gratification and the investment we have in this present life make idolatry not just tempting but easy. We are prone to idolatry because we want to be self-reliant rather than accountable. To admit that we are the creation of God is to accept that we belong to Him, and that means He alone should be worshipped. We should answer to Him solely for what we do and who we have become. Idolatry is tempting because, at least in our minds, it frees us from the God who owns us.
Idolatry isn’t only delusional, it’s dangerous. False gods will not only fail to serve us and save us, but they will also lead us to condemnation. It’s only when we see idols for what it is, it is in contrast to who God is, that the glitter of idols is overcome by the glory of God.
I think there is one reason we worship idols and that’s because we are not gripped with the glory of God, glory that is seen in the person and work of Jesus, who Himself is a reliance, Who death brought about redemption.
The beginning of the end of idolatry is in our hearts and that is found in Jesus.
From Pity to Praise 