Idols

“They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it...” Exodus 32:8

It is easy to think that this Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world is a plague God’s wrath has sent. In the book of Exodus, we read that when Moses went up Mount Sinai leaving the Israelites for 40 days and 40 nights, they made a molten calf out of their gold ornaments and proclaimed that as their god! Although we may find that absurd, people today have many idols as well. 

I was listening to a pastor’s wife, and she said she was flabbergasted during one prayer time when God accused her of having an idol. “What is my idol, Father?” she asked, and she was chastened when she realized she was too preoccupied with getting thin. She was always on a diet, always in the gym exercising, always anxious when she gained weight. Even something like that which consumes us to the point that we lose balance in what is important can be an idol. 

How much more if we take a look at what the world has been giving importance to? Women having abortions because they want to get ahead, because babies are inconvenient, because they want to continue their free lifestyles. Politicians stealing the money of the people in the millions with no thought of the deprivations of the poor they swore to serve. Businessmen who want to be so successful at all costs bribing and cutting costs and not paying the correct taxes. The list goes on and on. 

A congressman in the US was crying as he asked forgiveness from God for the many sins of his nation. We too should cry out to God especially in these days of uncertainty. Perhaps, yes perhaps, God is angry. We haven’t been grateful for all His gifts. We have not been good stewards of this world He gave us to take care of. But God’s anger is always because He wants the best for us. Just as parents get angry and discipline their children when they disobey, God’s chastening is always for our good. God’s mercy and forgiveness when we turn to Him is always greater than His justice. He has a passionate love for us, His people. He cannot resist us when we turn to Him in humility and repentance.