The Heart Of Idolatry

Read: Ezekiel 14:1-8

These men have set up their idols in their hearts. —Ezekiel 14:3

When my husband and I first went out as missionaries, I was concerned about the growth of materialism in our society. It never even crossed my mind that I myself could be materialistic. After all, hadn't we gone overseas with almost nothing? Weren't we having to live in an old, shabbily furnished, rundown apartment? I thought materialism couldn't touch us.

Nonetheless, feelings of discontent gradually began to take root in my heart. Before long I was craving nice things and secretly feeling resentful over not having them. Then one day God's Spirit opened my eyes with a disturbing insight: Materialism isn't necessarily having things; it can also be craving them. There I stood—guilty of materialism! The Lord had exposed my discontentment for what it really was—an idol in my heart. That day as I repented of this subtle sin, God recaptured my heart as His rightful throne. Needless to say, a deep contentment followed, based not on things but on Him.

In Ezekiel's day, the Lord exposed the idolatry in the hearts of His people (Ezekiel 14:3-7). And today He longs for us to rid our hearts of anything that destroys our contentment with Him. —Joanie Yoder

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne
And worship only Thee. —Cowper

An idol is anything that takes God's rightful place.

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