Idols

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord ties things together.

A couple of days ago my youngest son came to me and asked me if I had heard about what happened to one of actors from the sitcom "Glee". I told him I only heard bits and pieces. He said he died of an overdose. He then went on to ask me which country had the highest suicide rate. I told him the US. He said I was right. He then asked,"Which country is the most affluent?" I said, "The US." We then went on to talk about the idolatry of North America.

I'm reading through chronologically Kings and Chronicles as well as the prophets in my Quiet Time. Each year as I read through these portions, I find myself shocked by the way Israel and Judah turn to worship what the nations around them are worshipping. In fact one king conquered another, took his idols and began to worship them. How crazy is that? He had conquered this kingdom and began to worship THEIR idols? I don't understand.

I am also reading the book The Explicit Gospel, This is what Matt Chandler and Jared Wilson say:
        ...we were meant to worship, meant to give glory to something greater
        than ourselves. So we interact with the earth in such a way that our heart
        and minds should always be being stirred up to how good, beautiful, and
        gracious God is to us in what He's given, from His creativity in crafting
        flavors, to His beneficence in dispensing the warmth of the sun. The
        Scriptural testimony is consistently this: God's chief concern is for His
        own glory... the main part of the Bible is God's glorious self-regard. There-
        fore, the main point of human life ought to be regard of God's glory.

Then in my reading from Let's Take a Walk Together:
        As we consider the Holy and the Just One, perhaps we will more readily
        tremble at the thought of sin in our own lives. Perhaps we will think just a
        moment longer and resolve to be pure and holy rather than allowing our-
        selves to just react or to given in to "this one little thing". And perhaps a
        reawakening of holiness in our lives will be a stimulus unto the same in the
        lives of those around us.

Looking at the Israelites, I don't believe most of them said, "Today I am going to choose to worship a false god." No I believe it began with small things. Like forgetting that God is the Holy and Just One and choosing to give in to a "little thing". We forget to give thanks to God for being so gracious to us in everything that He gives us from the delicious flavours of food to the wonderful warmth of the sunlight. And slowly but surely I replace Him with things.

Unfortunately, it's not hard to do because the biggest idol that I struggle with is myself. I want to be in control. I want to be happy. I want to do things my way. I am not saying that God is a kill-joy or anything like that. It's just that I don't take the time to put Him where He belongs, First Place. I am reminded of Colossians 1 beginning at verse 16.

        For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are 
        on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
        principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and
        for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
        And He is the Head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning,
       the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the 
       preeminence.

Idols are all around me and it's very easy to follow them. What I must remember is that He must have the preeminence in my life.