February 23, Idolatry

Today’s reading: Psalms 111-115

“But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell” - Psalm 115:4-6.

Idolatry is a dehumanizing experience. It causes the worshiper to take on the traits of the object of worship. In today’s passage, those traits would be loss of the ability to communicate effectively, or to see or hear accurately — especially spiritual things. The tendency we have was described by a theologian when he said: “The human heart is a factory of idols,” so the idol doesn’t have to be statue to which we bow down. Paul expanded our understanding of idolatry when he wrote: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). Ask the Lord today to show you your heart to see if idolatry has crept in to rob you of your spiritual awareness. If it has, don’t deny it but repent and allow God to restore you.