“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3
God’s choice of words is quite interesting when He gives Moses the first of the ten commandments.
He doesn’t say that there are no other gods.
He doesn’t say that He is the only god.
He doesn’t blow past the idea that there could possibly be other gods.
God says we shouldn’t put any other god before Him.
In doing so, He implies there are other gods we could put before Him.
Gods of entertainment.
Gods of fashion.
Gods of beauty.
Gods of acceptance and achievement and worth.
Gods of money, success and career.
Gods of family.
Gods of spouses.
Gods of food, drugs and alcohol.
Gods of education, wealth and knowledge.
Gods of possessions.
Gods of fortune.
Gods of bigger offices, faster cars and fancier homes.
There are many gods in our lives, vying for our attention, seeking our devotion, calling out to be the god we choose to worship.
All of us have worshipped these gods at some point in our lives.
We all have created idols in our hearts.
We all have lifted up false gods before the True God.
We all have made something more important than God in our lives.
Our idols may not be made of wood or stone with their own altars we bow down before, but they have become more important to us than God.
What we talk about the most, what we spend our time and money on, are all indications of the idol in our heart.
When we put the little gods of this world before the One True God in our hearts, we create an idol.
And an idol will always stop us from serving the True God.
So, my brothers and sisters, as you look to serve the One True God, may you find the courage to dethrone the idols in your life. May you do the hard work of putting God before your plans, your desires and the acceptance you long for so much. And may you, as you put the True God as number one in your life, find that every other god in this world falls in line underneath Him.
What idols do you need to dethrone in your life?
