Jessa Anderson is a singer I heard many years ago at a Word of Life retreat. The following words are from her song “Idols”:
I am so like a bird in flight, I try to build my home
I set my eyes on anything that shines and tells me it will make me whole
I stack the walls surrounding me with promises and pretty things
But when I see what winter brings, I fly //
And as it turns out, this fickle heart in my chest
Sometimes it beats for everything but what is best
But when I turn down this voice I hear in my head
I give you room to speak and offer life instead
So take all of these idols, all of my idols and lay them to rest
So take all of these idols, all of my idols//
And all this time, addicted I, desperate for more and more
I chase the high but every single time, I come down lower than before
These empty words are on repeat and I can see they’re killing me
But still I find that I believe the lies//
I am a well run dry, I am a clouded, starless sky
Without Your breath of life I would surely die
But You gave your life for mine
Jessica’s view on what idols are like is sobering. Idols divide us from God, and cause us to think that we can build our own lives. The problem is, without Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we “set our eyes on anything that shines.” Why? Because they lie to us, they tell us they “will make me whole.” The “they” is anything or anyone we hold up as more important than God.
Idols promise satisfaction, provision and protection, but they are unable to fulfill those promises.
We may think “But we don’t build a statue and worship it”. However, that is still exactly what some people do. I see those statues in some people’s yards.
Webster defines idol as: “an object of extreme devotion.” Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” This comes from the Amplified Version, and it makes clear that anything we value more than our great God is an idol.
We brag or boast about our spouses, children, investment accounts, homes, cars, etc. that when examined carefully reveal that we idolize one or more of these people or items.
I have had to examine myself to be certain that I keep God as my priority. I may catch myself looking for something or someone other than God to be to me what only God should be in my life.
Spouses, children, money, etc. are not bad. We need them to exist, but when we elevate them to a place in our lives where God alone belongs, we are in dangerous territory. Colossians 3:5 states: “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
People may think that idols are harmless. They may say a statue is only for remembrance. But God tells us that idols are not to be any part of our lives. 1 John 5:21: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
Isaiah 44 paints a clear picture of our foolishness when we think we can fashion an idol, and have it perform for us. But God makes it clear that anything we create with our hands to rely upon for provision, protection or any other need we have is ridiculous.
Isaiah 44:9-20: “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the (other) half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
The central problem is the word “I” in the above passage. When we attempt to make life about us, it gets in the way of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus wants us to be fully dependent upon Him. He wants to be the source of our provision, protection, and all else we need.
Our world likes to create idols. We even have a TV show called American Idol. The Bible is clear,
1 Corinthians 10:14 exhorts us: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
How might idolatry be interfering in your relationship with Jesus and with others? What might be your idol? As you consider this, will you take time to ask God to help you examine your heart to see if you have elevated something to idol status?
You can write to me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to discuss Jesus, and a deep abiding relationship with Him.
Living for Jesus, Donna
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Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.
Copyright 2026 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.