One of the more interesting things in the Bible, but especially in the Old Testament, is the notion of idolatry.  It’s something that just seems so foreign to us, doesn’t it?  It just seems like something that we would never do, something that just comes from a different time and place.

I mean, who amongst us would ever think about worshiping an idol?  It just doesn’t seem like something anyone that we know would do.  For instance, look at what we read today in 1 Samuel 7: 3-4:

3 Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the LORD, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4So Israel put away the Baals and the Astartes, and they served the LORD only.

It just seems like a different world, doesn’t it?

But, here’s the thing about idolatry.  You know what it’s about, at its core?  This.  Not trusting God to be God.  Not trusting God to do what He said He’d do.  All the idols in the Old Testament, they were false gods that the other people in contact with the people worshiped, that “did” something.  One idol was about fertility.  One was the harvest.  One the weather.  And so ao and so on. So, the people worshiped, to make sure these things happened.

And the people of God did the same thing.  It wasn’t that they really, in their heart of hearts, believed that these idols were real.  But it was this. They didn’t trust God fully and completely.

So, they took things into their own hands. And they worshiped these idols, just to cover their bases.

What does God want from us?  Our love.  Our trust.  Our faith.  Our obedience.  God wants us to put our all in all in Him.  To trust Him with everything.

So, yes, none of us worship idols as they did in Bible days. But here’s the question.  Is there anything you trust more than God?  Or is there anything that you trust in before God?  Does God have your devotion?  Your obedience?  Your all in all?

That is what it looks like for us.

God is a jealous God.  He doesn’t “need” us.  But He wants us.  He has created us for a relationship with Himself.

Today, is there something that we have placed in our heart; in our lives, ahead of God?

Today, may God alone be King of hearts.

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