Idol Worship in the Twenty-First Century

Just because we don’t bow down to physical statues doesn’t mean we are free from idols. It is easy to read about idols in the scriptures and laugh at the ancients. Because our idols are more sophisticated, we tend to deny their existence.

What/who is it that gets most of your time and attention? What is it that dominates your prayer; the thing for which God is simply a means to an end? What is the one thing that if you lost would wreck your whole world? What is it that gives you an ultimate sense of value and worth? That’s your idol!

Interestingly, our idols are often good things; they are often blessings from God. The problem is we take a good thing and turn it into a God-thing. We give more attention to gifts than the giver. We pursue after blessings and in the process scorn the Blesser.

The sad thing with idols is that they do not ultimately satisfy! We have a God-sized ache that cannot be quieted by people, things, and possessions. What we need is a reordered love; we need to love God and use things, not love things and use God. We need to see God as beautiful, not just profitable! We need hearts awakened to the futility of idols, and to the satisfaction found in Christ alone.

May the Spirit of God awaken this in our hearts!