August 22, 2026
Saturday, August 22
This week, we’ve covered a massive topic—idolatry—in a short time. But I hope I’ve convinced you that all of us are in constant danger of stumbling into idol worship. And I hope you’ve seen the damage that idolatry can do to even the most outwardly devout believers: It steals our purpose, changes our character, and consumes our lives. And in the end, our idols always disappoint us.
Bible scholar CJH Wright says, “We tend to idolize the things (or people, or systems) that we place our trust in to deliver us from the things we fear.” So one more way to identify your idols is by asking what scares you the most. If you fear being poor, you’ll worship money. If you fear being alone, you’ll worship marriage and family. If you fear getting old and unattractive, you’ll worship fitness and beauty. The problem with all of those things is that they eventually disappoint you.
Wright goes on to say, “Ultimately, it seems, we never learn that false gods never fail to fail. That is the only thing about a false god you can depend on.” Your money goes away, no matter how smart you are, or you die and leave it to your ungrateful heirs, who waste it. Your kids grow up and move out of the house one day, and you’re devastated. If you expect your marriage to fulfill you, you will end up crushing your spouse under the weight of your expectations. And no matter how often you exercise, no matter how much moisturizer you apply, Father Time is still undefeated.
In Exodus 32, the Israelites were terrified of being in that wilderness alone. They wanted a god they could see and control, who would do whatever they wanted, instead of One whose thoughts and ways were high and inscrutable. Yet the god they chose could never have saved them.
As we end this week, I want to challenge you with three questions:
What do I think I can’t live without?
What makes me angry?
What am I most afraid of?
When you have your answers, pray to God to show you what they reveal. Ask Him to help you identify the idols in your heart.
Let me leave you with this: In v. 32, Moses makes an extraordinary plea to God. He acknowledges that the people have broken the covenant and deserve to die. But he offers himself as a sacrifice: “Blot me out of the book you have written.” But God refuses this offer. The ones who are guilty will be punished. But there was One able to do what Moses couldn’t. Jesus was rejected for us, so that we could be accepted by God in Him. None of our idols can do that for us. Only He is worthy of our worship and devotion.
If you agree, sing along with these young people in the beauty of British Colombia: Fairest Lord Jesus.
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
