idols.

i have been thinking a lot about idols.

in my history of architecture, interiors, and furniture class we have been studying the earliest architecture in the world. pretty much every society (roman, greek, egyptian, etc.) built structures as a place to bury and/or worship an idol. an entire structure would be built on an enormous scale just to be the burial tomb of a king. people would travel to worship this one dead guy, who as we have learned in class, was probably just an egotistical ruler.

recently i have been reading the book Counterfeit Gods by tim keller. it all about how we allow sex (love), money, and power become our God. we arent the first to fall into the trap. it has been happening since the days of Jesus and even before. just look through Scripture and you will see example after example of people lusting after love, power, and money.

today at church matt taught out of Colossians 2 and he talked about idols. and he bluntly put it that we all have them. he gave examples of being liked by everyone, weighing what you think is the perfect weight, having a good job and the "right" things.

when i listen in history class i am amazed that people would sacrifice so much to built this altar to some ruler who did not satisfy them and does not give them life to the full. and then reading kellers book and hearing matts message i realize that i do the same thing. i sacrifice so much to worship an idol that will leave my unsatisfied. i sacrifice loving people well out of fear they wont like me or dont want to be my friend. i sacrifice my time and energy by stressing about what to wear and how my face looks on any given day. i sacrifice my heart by anxiously worrying about grades in school. i sacrifice believing who God says i am by listening to what the world tells me about who i am.

i want to live a life like abraham from the Bible. tim keller puts it this way, "or else, like abraham, you could take a walk up into the mountains. you could say, i see that you may be calling me to live my life without something i never thought i could live without. but, if i have you, i have the only wealth, health, love, honor, and security i really need and cannot lose."