“But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” 2 Kings 12:3

American Idol

In the book of 2 Kings the phrase, “however, the high places were not taken away” appears repeatedly. I thought to myself that if I were Queen, I would cleanse and repair the temple, break up the idols, burn false altars, and I would take down those high places. Right?

My idolatry is not a carved image. I don’t recognize it because it comes in the guise of the ordinary stuff of my life. It is commonplace. It surrounds me in my day to day.

I am not immune to idolatry. Idols are those things that replace the presence of the living God. They are anything that comes between His heart and mine. And because He is jealous for me, He does not tolerate rivals for my heart. He is as serious about this relationship with me as He was about His relationship with Israel.

What do these idols look like in my life? These are some of mine. I’m not sure I’ve uncovered them all yet. Yours may be similar or they may look entirely different.

My imagination clogs my mind with stories and fantasies and takes me to other places, other times, another sort of life. Imagination has a proper place, for God has created it, but when it “comes between”, when I can’t hear God because I am flooded with imaginations, it is an idol.

Fear is an idol. My parents lived in fear. I learned it early. I am often anxious and worried. Fear has stopped me cold time and time again. I have missed out on many experiences, adventures, and opportunities because of fear. God has brought me a long way in overcoming fear with faith, but I have not yet arrived. Faith cannot abound where fear resides. God has told me plainly not to fear. Do I believe Him? Do I truly trust Him?

Pleasure and entertainment are idols. The list is endless: TV, movies, books, computer games, social media. All these are good things until they steal time from communion with God, hearing His word, waiting on Him, listening for His whisper. These idols come from our crazy culture and I don’t want to get caught up in a spiral of meaningless time lost to vain pursuits.

I can make an idol of my own comfort. I value the god of me, my opinions and my preferences. I want things my own way for my own comfort and ease. God has told me to prefer others before myself.

Satan has an ageless tactic of taking the good thing God has given and twisting it just enough to make it something harmful, deceitful, and destructive. When I let him do that, I am submitting to him and not to the God who gave me all good things to enjoy. When I recognize these distortions, it behooves me to burn the altars and return to the One who is faithful and true.

If I am to have a vital relationship with the Most High, it will cost me my lesser gods. Tear down the high places!

“Father, You are the center of all I am and yet I can be so easily deceived and distracted. Protect my mind and heart. And when you uncover those things that are out of order in me, I welcome Your correction. I will worship You alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”