DON'T SUBSTITUTE CREATION FOR THE CREATOR
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:22-23, ESV
Theme: Worship of anyone or anything other than God is foolish and amoral.
ANCIENT THINGS OF THIS EARTH
Cultures throughout time have believed in many gods and made idols of wood, metal, or stone, representing a created thing made by God. The supposed gods behind these idols were attributed acts of nature and worshipped, so people would thrive and be happy.
The Israelites were saved from slavery in Egypt by ten mighty acts of nature called plagues performed by God through Moses (Exodus 7-12). Each act was a demonstration of power against the Egyptian false gods which culminated in crossing on dry land through the Red Sea. Yet when the Israelites were faced with difficulty, they forgot the God who saved them and made an idol from their own gold, shaping it like a calf and saying: “This is the god who brought you up out of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4 NIV). They looked to what they made to be their savior – an attempted self-salvation strategy.
MODERN THINGS OF THIS EARTH
We are guilty of the same thing. We don’t get on our knees bowing to a piece of wood or stone, so how can we say that we worship idols? “Anything in the world that successfully competes with our love for God is an idol” (John Piper). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, NIV).
We turn to idols for significance, to know we matter, or feel that we are good--a sense of a righteous life. It can be money, possessions, power, sex, romance, appearance, well- behaved children, good spouse, intelligence, generosity, work, talent, success, independence, religious fervor, excellence, social media likes, or any performance, person, or thing of this earth. “If I have (this one thing) then I know I am good, worthy and that I matter.” When your idol comes through for you, you feel blessed, happy, good about yourself. When your idol fails, you feel cursed. Your security feels threatened, unsteady, like sand being washed away from under your feet (Matthew 7:26-27). You can feel angry, agitated, anxious and upset.
ETERNAL THINGS
Paul tells us that loving temporary created things of this earth more than God is foolish. Why place your happiness, security and significance on something that can fail you? When you are threatened with a loss, it hurts; but you can’t lose God. Why is that? Because Jesus loved you. By exchanging His immortal glory to become a mortal man so that he could die, He gave you an immortal eternity in the Father’s love. Jesus is your glory! He saved you like God saved the Israelites out of Egypt, so why make your own golden calf and say it saves you?
Make It Personal: My false idol is often the approval of others. Guess what? I don’t always get approval. God’s approval, which I have only because of grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection, trumps the disapproval of others and that’s a fact. My heart needs to believe that fact more and more resulting in a more secure and happy life.
How about you? What do you love the most? Look over the list above and fill in this blank: “I have to have _______to have a good life.” If you can’t identify it, watch this week to see where you get irritable, anxious, or impatient and ask God to make your idol clear. Jesus can “reorder your loves,” centering your heart on Him more than anything in this world (St. Augustine of Hippo 426 AD).
Pray: Father, help me to see the idols of my heart. Lead me to repentance and renewed belief in the Gospel. I want my heart to be supremely satisfied with You because You love me supremely. Only then will I love everything else properly. Amen.
Read: I Samuel 12:20-22; Isaiah 42:17; Jonah 2:7-9; I John 5:20-21
Weekly Memory Verse: “For it is not the hearers of the law who are Today’s Scripture: “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:22-23, ESV