Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. – 1 John 5:21
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The Apostle John has come to the tail end of his first epistle. He had much warning to give his audience about false teachings. At the end of it all, he gives his parting words in one simple short phrase – keep yourselves from idols. It is almost like he is saying, if you forget all that I have said until now, remember this one thing, stay away, keep away from idols. Idols are more than graven images.
The word ‘idol’ most often conjures up the picture of wooden or metal images and statues. But an idol is not restricted to a physical thing. An idol can be anything that is placed over and above God in our lives. Anything that takes more than what you give to God with respect to your devotion, your priority, and your time or mind space is an idol in your life.
Idols in our lives could be possessions, position, career, sports, hobbies, entertainment goals to even addictions. Sometimes, our friends or even spouse could become an idol. Idols could also be an insatiable drive for money, prestige, ‘success’ as the world perceives it, or the desire to seek approval of others.
The things of this world will never fully satisfy the human heart. They were never meant to. They ultimately lead only to death (Romans 6:23). And when the created replaces the Creator in our lives, we have fallen into idolatry. And no idol can infuse our lives with meaning or worth or give us eternal hope.
What is consuming you?
Father, give me the courage to remove the idols that consume me and to give You your rightful place in my life, I pray.
Extended Reading – 1 John 1-5
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