The Heart is an Idol Factory

Today I had to venture up to our local drugstore to pick up some prescriptions for my Dad . Now I usually do not like shopping on Sundays. Now I'm not going to get into the debate over whether there is a Christian sabbath of some sort that still remains ( although I do still hold that the Lord's day seems to carry some importance to it) .  What struck me today was the insanity of the traffic.

A new store opened up in a new shopping area. Needless to say it is in the same spot I had to pick up the prescriptions. So what should have been a 15 minute trip , turned into a hour . So as I was waiting in a traffic line to get into my lane to go home , a heavy stream of car after car moved by me in all directions. Having time on my hands , I watched this mad scramble to get to the new store. As each vehicle moved by me , I wondered how many of the passengers spent today thanking God for their existence .Who perhaps went to Church , prayed,read God's word and worshiped the Lord who sustains all things.

I was stirred in my soul as this scene unfolded before me. Then I realized in todays culture , shopping and visiting this new store is nothing more than an idol. Calvin rightly said the heart is an idol factory from birth. When we think of an idol , we think of a stature or figure that one would pray to. But all an idol is anything that one puts above the Lord. It can be family,sex,money,sports,shopping,working(greed) . The reason our hearts are idol factories , we are enemies of God in our natural state. Anything that will distract us from God , we will put in our lives.


[16] Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
(Acts 17:16 ESV)

I was reminded of this passage today after I got home . Paul became upset as he entered Athens , as he observed all the idols set up . Now those idols were tangible but would not Paul be just as upset to see the throngs of people , put things and consumerism above God . In todays fast paced world , money,sex and things are the new idols. People throng to the new and shiny like sheep. Idols are everywhere today.

The heart is a cauldron of sin and deceit . That is why idols fill our lives. They obscure and we pursue them because we want our own desires over a holy God. But God is in the business our tearing down idols and replacing our dead hearts with new hearts alive to Christ. The answer to breaking the idol factory is for Christ to take up residence.

When Paul saw all the idols , he Was provoked . What did he do? He preached the gospel of Jesus . May we reach out to those caught in the idol madness of a culture and share the only message of hope , the life ,death and resurrection of Christ.