What Do You Worship?

Over and over again, Scripture condemns the worship of idols. The Israelites, God’s chosen people, struggled with idolatry. Even though they repeatedly witnessed God’s power and saw Him work mightily on their behalf, they still turned to man-made images and worshiped them. They turned to statues and other false gods for protection, provision, or sometimes just a little extra “insurance†while they pretended to fully trust in God. It can sometimes seem silly to us as we read through the Bible. How could they put their trust in an object
that has nothing to offer them? No personal relationship. No power. Nothing.

The truth is, God created us for worship. We have a yearning, a hunger, a deep desire within us to worship. And if we don’t give our full worship to Him, we will find ourselves worshiping something else. The idols we bow down to are the things we cling to or value more than Jesus. They can set up shop in our hearts and distract us from our need for Him and the life He gives us.

While we might think bowing before a golden calf or wood-carved statue seems silly, what might the Israelites say about how much time and affection we give our smartphones? Or the time and energy we spend trying to attain popularity, a prominent position on the team, or the starring role in a play? While it’s not necessarily bad to spend time doing these things, the problem occurs when we give them our total devotion and turn to them first for our worth and comfort—when they become our identity rather than our relationship with Jesus.

So ask Him to show you the idols of your heart. Where is your attention and affection going? What is the central reason behind every decision you make? Who or what do you turn to when life feels uncertain or hard? Jesus delights in you and wants you to find your identity in Him. He is worthy of ALL your worship. • Cara Campbell

• Is there an idol in your life that you’re turning to instead of God?

• What kind of trust are you putting in that idol? What are you hoping it will do for you?

• How does Jesus provide for the things you think your idol will give you? Why is He worthy of your total trust and devotion?

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Exodus 32:1-8; Psalm 135:5-7, 15-18