“You must not have any other god before me.” – Exodus 20:3
Yesterday, we talked about the things that we give our firsts to. Your firsts can be in the form of time, money, or attention. But the truth is if you are giving your first and giving your best to something other than God, that thing is an idol.
What does modern-day idolatry look like? I like how John Piper put it. He said, “It starts in the heart: craving, wanting, enjoying, and being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God.”
If that defines something in your life, you can call it whatever you want, but God calls it an idol. Paul called it “covetousness” which is defined as “a disordered love or desire, loving more than God what ought to be loved less than God.”
Covetousness is idolatry, and God calls idolatry a sin. In fact, it is one of the big ten. But before a person can address their sin, they must first be able to identify their sin. So let me give you a few questions to consider today that may help you identify the idols in your life. Ask yourself these questions:
Do I love or treasure anything or anyone more than God?
Do I prioritize anything or anyone before God?
Does anything bring me more pleasure than the things of God?
Do I place my identity in anything over my status as a child of God?
Do I look to anything or anyone to meet my needs instead of God?
Do I seek fulfillment or satisfaction from anything outside of God?
Today, idols are seen in all shapes and sizes. We worship idols related to success, money, possessions, and stuff. It is common to have idols related to personal identity and physical fitness. Many have relationships that have crossed over into the territory of idolatry, such as our romantic relationship or our kids.
God is the giver of all good things, but He’s still God. And He refuses to be one of many gods in your life. If you are wondering whether you have an idol, ask yourself the questions above. If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, it might be time to look at shifting priorities.