Um...hello? (tap, tap, tap) Is anybody out there? It's been awfully quiet lately. Did everybody go home and forget to tell me?

I have a question. Am I the only one who is discovering that I have more idols than I do pockets? I thought I could discover THE ONE and eradicate it but apparently it's not that simple. Every time I turn the corner, I seem to be finding something else that nudges God out of His proper place.

Interestingly enough, our pastor started a sermon series on idols today (based on Joshua 24). Sigh. If you wait until Monday, you can probably hear it here. (If this doesn't take you to the right sermon, keep poking around. It's there somewhere. It hadn't been posted yet.) Anyhow, they started the service with the statement,

You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods."

Kyle made a statement about God being a jealous God that really caught my attention and put things into perspective for me. He said, "It would be like you telling your husband that you've decided to see other people, but he's still your favorite." For some reason, that painted a picture for me like I've never seen before. He also talked about how so many times we focus on the fruit (sin) rather than removing the tree (idolatry). His belief is that all sin has it's root in idolatry. And I think I agree with him. Henry Blackaby gives this definition of idolatry: Anything you turn to for help when God tells you to turn to Him. Kyle went on to list things that help us identify the idols in our lives (what is your nightmare?, whose applause do you long for?, what do you dream of?) and how we can stop worshipping these idols (Appreciate what God has done. The more we remember what He has done for us, the more we appreciate Him, Recognize who He is, and smash all other gods.)

The sermon is well worth listening to if you get a chance. They don't put them up until Monday though. Anyway, I really would be curious to know how things are going for all of you. Are you like me and finding that you are more "caught" then you thought you were? What speaks most to you? How did you feel about her thoughts on media feeding our souls?