Idols?

So I had a little gadget that I realllllly liked. It was my "mini-brain". It was very helpful when shopping, driving, when it was quiet, when I had a spare moment, when I was wide awake at night... I turned to my gadget and it kept me happily occupied. It was my iPod touch. My hubby had given it to me a few years ago when he upgraded to an iPhone. While his iPhone has a camera and sound, I was happy with my iPod.

I liked being able to load it up with music. I liked being able to update my grocery list or calendar at any time. I liked being able to keep track of all kinds of things-- books I'd read, things I wanted to blog about, things to look for in the store, gift ideas for the kids. I didn't need to remember a paper at the store with my list on it. I could just whip out my iPod and check it off there, and not even need a pen! Cool!

Then one day, about six weeks ago, it died. :( I didn't cry, because it is just a "thing". I can do without it, right? What I didn't know is that God had a lesson for me in the death of my favorite gadget. My favorite time-wasting, spare moment filler-upper. While my iPod was a helpful thing, it had gotten to be an idol. I had taken its usage out of hand. Oh, it wasn't in the shape of a cow or "god", but it had taken an important place in my heart and hand.

I wasn't really bowing down to it, but I was giving it a position that it was not to take. I didn't realize all the time that I used for my mini-appliance, I was not using it for other, better, more important things. I was not "having time to read" because I was playing a silly game on my iPod.

I still read my Bible, so I figured I was all right. But God has renewed a love for His Word in me since the death of my idol. It was a thing, and object, and while I knew I should not love an idol, I didn't see it as an idol until it was taken away. Isn't that the way God works?

I realized that I was spending more time on my iPod than with my kids. I played games with them, "in a minute", and "just let me just finish this game..."instead of making them be more important to me as they really are. I was not putting others ahead of myself and my desires. Oh, I believe it is fine to take a little me time now and then. I think there is nothing wrong with playing a fun game on an iPod or iPhone. But if there is someone else around, why not play a REAL game? Then we can even have a conversation! :-D

I am reminded of these verses in God's precious Word...

"Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden." Deuteronomy 4:23


"The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." Psalm 24:4


"All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods!" Psalm 97:7


"Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made." Isaiah 2:8


So what do you give your time and hands to? Is it for the good of God's kingdom and building it up? Or is it feeding you and your selfish desires? We need to be careful of any form of idol that creeps in to our daily lives! 


I do hope to get another gadget soon, but I will be more conscious of its usage and time spent with it... now to work on my time on the computer...