“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21
Heavenly Father, in Rome I’ve seen the statues of various gods that filled the temples and lifestyle of that great ancient city. In London, I visited the biggest Buddhist temple in the city and wandered from station to station as worshippers offered prayers and gifts to deities that looked so strange to me. In Israel, I studied decaying remains of various idols which competed for the worship of your covenant people. Yet, those idols are way to obvious. Ours are often more subtle, hidden, and just as destructive.
Obeying John’s command to keep ourselves from idols requires more than simply staying away from ancient sites, pagan temples and man-made idols. For there’s an invisible pantheon of idols constantly angling and clamoring for our heart’s preoccupation and worship.
Sometimes the approval (or rejection) of mere people has more sway over our hearts than your delight in us and singing over us (Zeph.3:14-17). Sometimes our need to be right is more life-controlling than the wonder of our being righteous in Christ.
Not that we light candles, chant, and sing praise choruses to these things—but we can make idols of having “enough” money, our kids adoring us, or still fitting into clothes we wore in high school. Sensual pleasure and idealized romance can functionally replace you, Father. “Our-nation-first” can seize more of passion and energy than first-love-for-Jesus.
Have mercy on me and my friends, Father, and free us from giving anything or anyone the attention, affection and adoration you alone deserve. May the Gospel of your grace relentlessly expose and dethrone all “empty nothings” from our hearts. We increasingly want to love you with everything we are and have. So Very Amen.