IDOLS

Tonight, I was instantly intrigued by Psalm 96:5 which states, "all the gods of the nations are idols..." It's almost explosive in my spirit the way the Lord leads me into thought on a subject. Of all of the scripture that I read before that and after it, those few words had the most impact. Not because I'm an idol worshipper but because some people are. He wants me to ponder this. He wants me to know what an idol worshipper is and what it means. Many things began swirling around in my mind about it. One thing that stood out is how the devil has gotten into so many people these days and steered their paths towards idols. Even going as far as creating a show called "American Idol." Why do I notice this? Besides the afore mentioned reason? Because it's mentioned many times in the Bible. The Lord takes great offense to idol worshipping. And rightly so. If I were the "one true living God" I'd be offended too. After all, what is an idol? It's something. It takes place in a person's life. It takes too much place. It gets put in front of everything else. It takes precedent over priorities. It gets special attention. It gets spoken to in some cases. It gets prayed to. It gets people's expectations. It gets offerings. It receives sacrifice of ones self. It's shocking what some people will do for their idols a.k.a. "gods." In some countries they pour milk on giant golden cows. In some countries they pray to dead people at the doors of their crypts. In some countries they pray to sun, moon, stars. In other countries they idolize their beasts. In some places (and we know where) cows are allowed to roam the streets without fear of slaughter. In other places, the temples are opened to monkeys because they're thought to be "sacred," even though they'll attack or steal from their hosts. In some countries an idol is a tree adorned with prayer packets.  In America, the idols have become quite extensive. Cars, drugs, sex, sports, movie stars, food, ones own self. But my main focus is on the countries that idolize gods made by man. They are but mere tokens. Images of what comforts the worshipper. Things that the builder builds.  I would love to say to an individual who doesn't know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..."what makes you choose that thing as your god, knowing that it needs you? It can't stand on it's own. It didn't decorate itself or adorn itself. It can't provide for itself without your hands, and the work thereof?" The Bible says this about them, "They have mouths but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusts in them." Psalm 115:4-8. So, how does one expect it to do anything for you? That's the ignorance the Bible tells us of. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. I wish I could convince just one idol worshipping individual of the Truth. The truth is that anything made by man cannot give back what has been given to it. It can't provide, it can't bless, it can't see, or hear. It's a "dumb" thing. There again, no disrespect meant. I'm almost desperate for the peoples and tribes of the nations to know that their handmade idols are just wood and stone or mineral. They have no ability to do anything. So, why worship a "dumb" thing? How this must hurt our Father. As He sits on His throne with the willingness to touch and bless and love us, He's rejected. Traded. Forgotten. Ignored. His value is as nothing to people because they choose these tangible things of the natural world. It's as if people can't bring themselves to trust in what can't be seen. Accept that, He can be seen. He's all around us. His fingerprints are on all creation. He's seen by those who look. My question has always been, why isn't the world leaning towards Buddhism like they lean towards God in heaven? Buddha doesn't have worldwide disciples taking him anywhere. Giant golden cows covered in milk aren't popping up in the Amazon tribes. That's because they're "dumb" things that can't move or command. They just sit and look golden. So, that's it. My view on the idols and gods of the nations. I say, Praise be to the One True Living God!!!