Idol Sickness

In 2 Kings it reads: they followed worthless idols, and they themselves became worthless.  I heard this verse read today - and it literally caused me to stop and think.    


We often times think of "idols" as statues, witch doctors in another country, possessions, or people who we literally worship.  Idols are much more then this.  An idol is anything that takes precedence over God in our lives.  An idol can be food, money, a job, a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a spouse, a celebrity, school, you name it.  


In America, we're really good about disguising our idols.  And we probably have more of them in our culture then anywhere else.


We value the fact that we can make our own decisions and choices and yet we're really slaves to the worldly things that consume us.  


We're all longing for that hole in our life to be fulfilled - we all want to be satisfied.  Many of us however, chose to fill that hole with idol after idol moving onto the next when the first doesn't fulfill.  The devil continually looks for ways to fill our longings with things that will ultimately steal, kill, and destroy us.  


Often times, the idol he gets us to follow won't even be something that is blatant, especially within the "Christian" sect.  


For example, recently I found myself thinking often about my future career, and the longing to have a family.  Those two things are not bad things to think about - but they began to consume my thoughts, my ideas, and invade most parts of my day - becoming my idol.  


If we allow ourselves to be consumed with idols in our life - and start to follow worthless things - we will ultimately become those things.  We become what we consume our lives with.  


So whats your idol?  
Food?  Money?  A desire for a spouse/significant other?  A career?  A job?  Technology?  Pride?  Competition?  Music?  Industry?  Reality TV?  A celebrity?  A sports team?


Identify it.  Thats step one.  


Papa God I pray that we are so consumed with You and the things of eternity and of Your Kingdom that earthly things don't even compare.  I ask that You would reveal our idols to us God and begin to revive our hearts with a new passion for You.  Papa, we live to glorify You and make Your Kingdom known.  


In your beautiful son Jesus name,


Amen.