Idol Worship

The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. Psalm 135:15-18

Often we think of idol worship as a thing of the past or something that is only observed in far-away countries. However, if you look up the definition of "idol," you'll find "an object of extreme devotion." Anything come to mind? How about television, internet, cell phones, shopping, eating, etc.?

In today's world, it is so easy to get sidetracked from our priorities. There are so many things screaming for our attention that they drown out the voice of God calling us to come and worship Him. Instead, we spend our time checking e-mail and working on our "My Space" pages. When that's done, we plop down in front of the television because we feel the need to relax. As long as we're just sitting there, we might as well have something to eat, too. Do you notice the trend?

When do we pull ourselves away from the many "objects of extreme devotion," and take the time to truly spend some time with God (who should be THE object of extreme devotion)? I'll be the first to admit that I've had my devotion time in such a hurry and with such a half-hearted effort that I had to remind myself later that I had actually done my devotions. What's the point in that? If that's all we're gaining from our time with the Lord, why do we go through the motions at all? Habit? Guilt? Obligation?

Now, before you through out your television set or sling a baseball bat through your computer, let me say that I'm not against any of these things. The things, in and of themselves, are not the problem. The problem occurs when we allow these things to take priority over God in our lives. The problem is when we allow these things to become our idols. We must be careful! Let's keep our priorities straight and keep our worship and devotion where it belongs. After all, God alone is worthy of our praise!

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:3