where idols thrive

Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.

Ezekiel 14:4-5

God wants to have the complete attention of our hearts. That is were we truly worship. That is where we hold to what we consider most dear. That is where our passions and deepest desires reside and flow out to control our actions. The heart is the center from which all of our attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions pulse out in all of life. And what resides in our hearts will affect all of how we will live.

Israel’s continuous struggle with idolatry was an individual heart defect spread across an entire culture. God’s diagnosis was that idolatry had infected the hearts of all the people of Israel. They had enshrined their idols in their hearts. And yet they blatantly went through the motions with God by inquiring of His prophet and pretending to care about what God said. But this heart idolatry created an impassible barrier to relationship with and obedience to God.

Heart idols fool us. We can pretend we aren’t worshiping falsely. I mean after all, you will find me in God’s house at all the right times! But inwardly our idols have our full attention. And until we tear down those secret shrines we will not truly know God’s blessing. We must repent of misplaced worship, tear down our heart idols, and worship God from that internal place of passion and commitment!

Lord,

My idols deceive me. Confront them and show me which ones I am worshipping. Help me to topple them so that You alone, in the glory of Your cross and resurrection, are my true worship. And lead me, Jesus, confidently forward in worship of You. I desire no more stumbling. I want Your grace to lead me in worship of only You!

Amen