What is Your Golden Calf?

The story of the golden calf in Exodus 32 may at first feel like something we just can’t relate to. It’s unlikely any of you reading this have given all your gold jewelry to a metal worker who then made you a little image of something that you called your god and bowed down to (if you have done this, I recommend you repent and get pastoral counseling immediately!). Not only is it hard to relate to, but we think, “How could they do that?” After all the miracles from God they saw and the way He had delivered them out of Egypt and provided for them, how could they do the exact thing God had told them not to do?

But maybe we are not as different from them as we want to be. Idolatry was the “sin that so easily ensnares” (Hebrews 12:1) in their day. If you lived back then, it would seem like everyone had idols and practiced idolatry. You and your family might not practice as much idolatry or as extreme a form of idolatry as others, but it was pretty much everywhere. Idols were normal, widespread, and popular. And if anyone questioned them, they probably got a fair bit of pushback.

 And what was idolatry used for? It was what people did in a number of situations: when they were desperate or anxious, they looked for relief from an idol. During the down time after a big, but exhausting, victory they celebrated and let off steam with idols and a little pagan idolatry and revelry. They had little idols to help them get through the daily stress they faced day after day (the idols didn’t actually help, but it felt like they did).

Are you starting to see how we might not be so different? I’m not saying we have literal idols. But any sinful go-to habit that we return to when we’re worn out, or depressed, or feel like we need help to get through the day, is functioning similar to the way idols functioned back then. There are lots of popular choices these days: substance abuse, overeating, watching things we shouldn’t, gossiping, and spending money in wasteful ways are some examples. And even though God has done so much for us, and we know in our spirit that we should not be doing that habit that does not please God, we keep doing it anyways.

God wants us to rest in Him when we need rest. When we are celebrating, He wants to be at the center of it. When we are scared, anxious, depressed, or disappointed, He wants us to run to Him instead of running to our “idols”. God wants us to trust Him, value Him, and love Him more than we do our foolish, worthless, golden calf. He wants us to crush, destroy, and throw away all our idols.

Prayer:  Lord, please speak to our hearts through the tragic story of the golden calf. Remind us how utterly worthless, foolish, and degrading our sinful go-to idol-like habits really are. Help us to turn our eyes to You and remember how much better Your lovingkindness and faithfulness are than our favorite sinful habit. Set us free from our idols.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .