So, What's Your Idol?

As I was reading in Acts today, I got slammed with something that Stephen called the church on.

In Acts 8:39-42 he references the struggle the Israelites had in Exodus 32 about idols. They had gotten tired of waiting for Moses who had gone up on the mountain to hear from God. In their impatience they wanted idols that they could see so they could worship them. So, they made golden images and worshiped them instead of the living God. We remember how that worked out for them. (Moses came down and 3000 people literally lost their lives.)

The whole point of Stephens message in Acts is to call the 'church' of his day on the carpet. They had forgotten - like their ancestors - how incredibly blessed their lives have been because of God in their lives. They had gotten sloppy (my word) in the way of living as Christ followers. And I believe he was calling out the people in his day who had done the same thing. Just look at their reaction to his challenge - it cost him his life.

It hit me hard - we are in the same boat today! We don't call them idols, but that's exactly what they are and they have taken the place of God in our day to day lives.

Idol - (Websters) an image that is worshiped; something that is blindly adored.

Today's idols are much more subtle. MY toys, MY success, MY money, MY career, MY family (yes, some do worship their families above God). While we may say we don't worship 'it', when God takes the back seat to something, then that something has become what you worship, period.

And I know that people say they can't find God in 'church'. As much as that statement may hurt, it is very true. If people can't see God in the people who claim to worship Him, then why should they waste their time? (I'm not saying that FBC Pocatello sends the wrong message so don't start writing letters just yet.) The BODY OF CHRIST - the people who claim to be Christ followers - we have made that statement utter-able simply because we aren't living like followers beyond Sunday.

Stephen's call to the church in his time applies to the church in our time today even more. What have we allowed to take God's place in our lives? What gets more attention, more devotion, more worship, more love than God? When you name it, that's what you worship. So, what's your idol and can you lay it down at the feet of Jesus and live for Him?

I'll be praying...