We ofter create idols of money, power, fame, loved ones, career or success and expect them to give us happiness and security. My brother, my sister, an Idol can only supply your desires or what you want, which can be justified or not. It can only satisfy your lusts and seem to fulfill you. That’s the reason why the Bible tells us in today’s passage that : “The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd”. What should we understand here then?
The Bible tells us that God provides for us. What we need is what can give us security, make us truly happy and give us comfort. You need to drink water to live, you don’t need to drink beer, wine or juice to live! That is why God has provided us with water all around the earth, and sometimes nature gives us water for free, while all other drinks are not only man-made, but we also need to pay to get them… you will never find a river of wine, juice or beer, while you can find stream of water. Similarly, because all idols are the fabrication of man, they cannot provide what we need.
Therefore, it is a misleading error to trust idols: your happiness and your safety do not depend on your spouse, your children, your work, success, money or anything that seems to make you move forward in this life. Instead, become the person God wants you to be and you will realize that it is in the presence of the Lord that you find peace, joy, happiness and security. Moreover, when people depend on their idols, when they disappear (because they are temporary), depression, suicide, despair often take the place the idol used to have in their lives because of the void that settles in. My friend, the presence of the Lord is always with us and He will never leave us nor forsake us as idols would. So even if you lost your job, a loved one, money, etc… the love and reassuring presence of God will strengthen you and encourage you to look to the future rather than dwell in the loss… for the Lord is our provider. He knows what you need. The idol does not know what you need. So stop setting your eyes on idols as you would set them on a stone image and hope it can make it rain. Trust in the Lord. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.