Idolatry - the woe of us all

Have you ever tried to find satisfaction in something that is not of God? Like if you are in pain emotionally or spiritually, or even physically for that matter and you decidenthat you are going to take care of thiings yourself. Maybe you have turned to alcohol, sex, shopping, eating, pornography, or any number of things that are blatantly sinful or something that tou should not be doing at the time. I know I've been there. I know I've done that.

I was thinking about this tonight, how we put the things of this world in the place that God ought to have in our lives. As I've been thinking about I can't help but think that sometimes we make excuses for ourselves to do the things that we want to do. I read through the account of the Israelites making the golden calf in Exodua 32 before I began to write this and to some degree this is exactly what they did. Instead of waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain of Sinai they began to get impatient and they told Aaron to make an idol for them. At first glance when reading the story it seems like they could actually be concerned for what has happened to Moses, but in the end they're like, "We don't know what has happened to Moses; so let's make an idol that we can see and worship." Duh. These guys had it great. They had just been set free from slavery, and yes, God was asking them to trust Him with their lives, and Moses had been gone for quite a while but instead of seeking advice from Aaron or just continuing to wait they get this stupid idol built and the next day they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to it and then sit down to eat and drink and then rise up to play. How stupid right? It's like they have completely turned their backs on God and forgotten everything that He had just done for them and had promised to do for them. Oh dear, I wish I could take that last sentence back. It reminds me too much of me. How often do I put the things of this world in the place that God should have? More often than I would like to admit. Instead of waiting on God when things get tough to reveal Himself, I all too often turn to something else to ease the pain or give me answers. How foolish. If I would but just wait. I know the answer would come in due time or the pain might be eased. Even if I don't get an answer though or the pain is not eased or whatever it is that I am looking for doesn't come to pass, I still ought not to look to something other than God for that which I need for it is an abomination before Him, and rightly so. We ought never to turn to sin, away from God to find that which we seek. He is the all-sufficient One and will give us that which we need in His time and in His way.