Idle Idols

Many of us have goals in life. We want to be successful at work, in our marriages, we want to raise good kids, or get good grades at school, or we want to be a good athlete. It happens quite often, though, that our goals, instead of serving our needs, become what we serve. It happens gradually; we don't really often notice it happening. We serve false gods, without ever building a physical idol. Jesus, however, will not share us with anyone. He is jealous for us, He purchased us with His blood on Calvary, and the price of our freedom was His life to which we owe everything. If you feel anxious, worried, restless, or dissatisfied with your life, consider, then, what you're serving, where you find your rest, and where your time, treasure, thoughts or talents go to most. You just might find an idol has taken residence in your heart, the very place the Holy Spirit desires to reside. From Joshua 24: 14“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

19But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.