The Golden Calf

In January of 2012, I was in Thailand on month four of my race. It was the second new culture we’d experienced so far, the first being Central America, and there were such clear distinctions between the two continents.

One of the most noticeable aspects of Thailand was the presence of little ornate “bird house” that were seen dotting the landscape. They were shrines, places where the ancestors could visit, temples that represent gods and idols, and high places where the devoted followers could come to worship.
 

As Westerners, it is easy to dismiss such practices as foolish. As Christians, it is ridiculous to think of bowing down to a false god made by flawed humans.
 
But I worship false gods. And I’m willing to bet you do, too.
 
I’ve been convicted lately of the idols and false gods that I’ve chosen to erect in the high places of my soul. While they may not be physical temples or buildings or shrines, they are created things where I have elected to place my faith, hope, and security. They are gifts given by the Father that I find myself placing my trust instead of the Giver.
 
For me, my idol is food. I’m an emotional eater, which means I turn to food for my comfort and satisfaction. Long, hard, tiring, and lonely days have me thinking about what I can put in my mouth to satisfy my soul instead of running to my Abba. I seek fulfillment in my stomach instead of my heart.
 
I’m sick of it.
 
Here is truth seen in the Word of God: He hates idols. It was the sin that continually turned the Children of Israel away from the Living God and it was the sin that the Lord punished Israel for through exile, war, famine, and persecution. And each time they would come running back to Him and find redemption in His fierce love and mercy.
 
Just because our idols no longer dwell in physical temples doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
 
God wants my whole heart, not one that is trusting in the things of this world. I want all my satisfaction, trust, joy, comfort, and fulfillment to be found in Him. I want my heart and mind and soul and body to be aligned with Him and I want my idols to be destroyed. He wouldn’t promise freedom was possible if He couldn’t do it.
 
I’ve been asking the Lord what it means to destroy my false gods and to walk in dependence on Him. I’ve decided to share the revelation He’s given me in another blog, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I want to challenge you to look at your heart and mind and examine areas where we place our faith and trust in something other that the Lord.