Pathways Press.com

Written by Vivian Bricker, a contemporary writer.

There are many false gods in this world today. While we often think of false gods as golden calves, shrines, or other created objects, they can also be in the form of our career, relationships, or appearance. Anything can become an idol if we place it above God. This also includes good things like a spouse, children, or parents. The moment we put something or someone above God, it becomes the “god” in our lives and can cause us to turn away from Christ. As one can imagine, this is not our purpose in life. Our purpose in life is to know the Lord, love the Lord, and make Him known. We won’t be able to do this if we have put other things above the Lord. For example, if we have made our career the god of our lives, we will make it our priority and focus above all else, placing God on the back burner.  Rather than serving the Lord and equipping other believers to know Him, we will become obsessed with our job, deadlines, and how to keep climbing the company ladder. While nothing is wrong with wanting to be successful or enjoy our jobs, we don’t need to place them as more important than God. God is greater than our careers because He is the One who has created us, saved us, and loves us. Our career or any other “god” we have created in our life does not do these things… Whatever has taken the place above God in your life, choose to give it over to Him and rest in His forgiveness. 

Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. [Exodus 32:7-8]