everyday idolatry

"Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit."

~Isaiah 44:9

In the middle of the forty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet really speaks out on the dangers of idolatry.  Many people in his time were fashioning their own household idols out of materials like wood and iron, and so were forsaking the only God who could actually save their souls.

I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not accusing you of regularly chopping down trees and putting together some do-it-yourself idols (although if Lowe's had been around in Isaiah's time, who knows, maybe they would have had some kind of section for that!).  But the fact is, many things in our life can easily ensnare us and become idols as bad as the ones made by our ancestors so long ago.

So what makes something an idol?  Here's what I gathered from this section in Isaiah:

• An idol can be the result of some hard work or effort on your part.  In verses 12 and 13, Isaiah describes all of the labor that people engaged in in order to make an idol.  Whether they used iron or wood, making an idol usually involved "working over the coals,"  "working with a compass," and using things like "hammers," a "strong arm," and "a measuring line."  In fact, so much work is put into them that the man in verse 12 becomes hungry and weak!  Believe me, I appreciated a job well done; I feel accomplished after I finish a big project, especially if there are visual results that I can stand back and admire.  And really, there's nothing wrong with that.  But if our hard work takes us away from God, and causes us to depend on our own efforts rather than God's help, that project can quickly become an idol.
• The origin of an idol can usually be traced back to some sort of pride.  At the end of verse 13, the idol the man shapes out of wood takes on the "form of a man, like the beauty of man."  Even if this idol doesn't resemble the man himself, can you see the pride that went into the creation of that idol?  He was either worshiping man's appearance in general, or else worshiping a particular person who served as the inspiration for that idol.  We often aspire to be like others, or to look up to them for mentoring, but we should be careful that they don't become objects of worship. Even if you think your pride isn't the root of an idol, remember, pride can wear many disguises.  It can masquerade as false humility or simply just trusting your own judgment rather than God's.
• All idols are perishable and/or replaceable.  In verses 14 through 17, a man plants a tree and then uses half of it for firewood, and the other half for fashioning an idol.  He doesn't realize that his idol is useless, being made from the same perishable wood from the tree he planted himself.  Since he is satisfied by the warmth of the fire and the sustenance of the food he cooks over it, he never stops to think about whether God had anything to do with it.  Who knows, maybe these comforts are what drove him to make the idol out of the other half of the tree, and then bowing down to it rather than to God.  Anything you put before God, whether unknowingly or willingly, will not last.  If you're worshiping a person, they will let you down sooner or later, and we will all die at some point.  Anything you or someone else has made with their hands won't last either; it could rust or fall apart or be stolen or be burned.  And even though your time is intangible, it can also perish.  
• Idols can offer temporary satisfaction and comfort, but CANNOT save you.  We've already seen an example of this with the man and his tree, but let me just drive this point home.  Idols often look attractive to us because of what they have to offer, and they may come through for us for a little while.  But they can't save our souls.  And they can't help us walk in that abundant life that God has promised to all of His children (in fact, they often hinder it).
• Worshiping idols can lead to hardened hearts.  Take a look at the sobering message in verses 18 through 20.  The idol worshipers have eyes and hearts that have been "smeared over" by God, meaning they can't see or understand what they're doing.  They don't see that their idols are just perishable man-made junk.  They don't see that they're living in sin.  And they don't understand how deceived they are and how their idol worship has turned them away from God ("a deceived heart has turned him aside," verse 20).  What does this mean for us?  It means that like these men, we too can easily deny that we have any idols in our lives.  While our idols probably won't take on the form of wood or iron, they are still a very real presence in all of our lives.  Finding out what they are and how to get rid of them is critical for saving our souls and guarding our hearts.

So examine your heart and your life.  Ask God to help you pinpoint any areas where idol worship is apparent, even if it's just the start of something (since it can easily and quickly snowball into something much more serious).  Is there a certain TV show or book that interferes with your time with Him?  Is there a certain person who occupies your heart and your thoughts more than He does?  Is there a certain hobby or pastime you hold as more dear than Him?  One thing I've noticed about myself lately is how I spend my time.  I find I covet "MY TIME" too much.  When my son goes down for a nap, I often run to other things rather than spending that time with God.  None of the things I run to are necessarily bad on their own, but when they are placed as higher than God, then they become a problem.

So burn those idols and sit at the feet of the One who was not fashioned by human hands, and whose love endures forever!