It is a powerful song that spoke to me then and even reminds me today. The bridge of the song goes like this.
Anything I put before my God is an idol
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can’t stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything I give all my heart to is an idol.
We talk in the church about putting God first, but those lyrics really got me thinking about how easy idols sneak into our lives. In our minds we think that idols are bad things but when you look at it in this way you realize that we can make an idol out of really good things.
How many of us say we don't have time to do devotions? We let the day to day tasks and responsibilities come before God. I've written, before, about making room for God and how He wants us to put Him before anything else, that includes our families, our jobs, our "to do" lists, and even our recreational activities.
How many of us say we don't have time to do devotions? We let the day to day tasks and responsibilities come before God. I've written, before, about making room for God and how He wants us to put Him before anything else, that includes our families, our jobs, our "to do" lists, and even our recreational activities.
How many of us have wanted something with all our hearts? Maybe it was a dream job, or a dream wedding, or a child, or a spouse; the list can go on. These are all good things and it is not bad to want them. They become idols when we put them as a priority. We must keep it in perspective and desire God more than anything else.
How many of us have things in our lives that we can’t stop thinking of? Young people, watch yourselves here, how much are you thinking of that girl or boy you like? For us that are more mature, how much are we thinking of our worries and responsibilities? “How am I going to pay the bills this month?” or “How am I going to get my ‘to do’ list done?” How often do we think of God during the day? Do you give Him your few minutes and go on your way with your day or is He continually in your thoughts? When the worries or “to do” lists pop up, are you giving it to Him and thinking about who He is and how He’s got you.
How many of us have given all of our love to our husbands and our children? We spend so much time taking care of our kids that we don’t spend time with Jesus. We look to our spouses or boyfriend/girlfriend to fulfill the needs and desires that only our Heavenly Father can fill.
On Sundays (or Saturdays) we go to church and sing praises to Him, but like the song says, “we can sing all we want to and still get it wrong”.
So its time to “clear the stage”. Take time this week to “take a break from all the plans you have made and sit at home, alone and wait for God to whisper.” Clear away the busyness and things that steal your thoughts and let God reveal those things you have turned into an idol. Sometimes an idol isn’t a bad thing in and of itself but it becomes an idol because of the importance we put on it. Anything we put before God is an idol.
“Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
if that’s the measure you must take to crush the idols.”
Ezekiel 14:2-6 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let myself be inquired of at all by them?
“Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘
Thus says the Lord God: “Every one of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.”
“Therefore say to the house of Israel,
‘Thus says the Lord God:
“Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.
Matthew 22: 37-38 Jesus said to him,
“ 'you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind’
this is the first and great commandment.”
1 John 5:19-21 We know that we are of God,
and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding,
that we may know Him who is true;
and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternal life.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding,
that we may know Him who is true;
and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternal life.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
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