By“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” — 1 John 5:21 NIV
An idol is anything we give honour unto above God. In the olden days, it referred to bowing to graven images and woodworks. Although this form of idolatry still exists, idolatry in this modern world has gone beyond it. Now, its makeup comprises just anything that claims our allegiance.
Most times, idols come in deceptive ways. And it takes the spiritually discerning to see it and desist from it. Let me give you an example.
Possessing a mobile phone isn’t bad. Neither is it good. It all depends on what it gets used to do. Some use it to promote the work of Jesus Christ, while some use it to consume lustful content online. The former is good, but the latter is disastrous.
For the former, the phone doesn’t become an idol but a tool to maximize God’s kingdom impact. For the latter, the phone becomes an idol that’s indirectly linked to demonic influence upon people’s lives. Why? Because anyone who feeds on lustful content will desire to keep watching it. Eventually, he’ll spend more time with his device; and that affects their intimate relationship with God if he’s already born again.
When the apostle John was writing his first letter, He ended by saying, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Last words were so important in those days that every writer usually saved heavy advice there. John knew a time would come when people would say that they are children of God yet have their lives dedicated to worldly things.
How do you rate your dedication to God as to others? Check what and who takes much of your time. Is it in fellowship with God, your partner, and the brethren, or with worldly things?
There is a responsibility on you as God’s child to keep yourself from idols. Someone else won’t do it for you. So watch your life closely. Analyze your life. Let God help you identify areas you need His purging. So that in the end, your dedication unto Him will be without hindrances.
You’re a blessing.
Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I look unto you. Keep me from serving idols. Load me with more work about the expansion of your kingdom that there’ll be no space for me to experiment with worldly things, which are of no value to the eternal life I have in Christ Jesus. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD // 2022 – 189
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