The Lie of an Idol

“Such is the nature of the human soul, that it must have a God, an object of supreme affection.” (From Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

Many definitions found in Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary are based on his Christian faith. He defined the soul as the spiritual and immortal substance within the man, that which distinguished him from “brutes.” A beautiful, inner part of our being that feels, thinks, and holds our will to choose.  The soul also desires to worship, and it is meant to worship the Creator. Sadly,  that pursuit of something or someone to worship can lead us to many false idols, whether we are pursuing our idea of God, or running from Him.

Jeremiah 10:14 proclaims that the man who pursues idols is a fool who believes a lie:

Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols;
For his molten images are deceitful, and there is no breath in them.  

We may be easily able to resist the idols of Jeremiah’s day, but there are still very real temptations all around us, promising to fill something inside of us that they can never fill,  tempting us with empty promises that appear so attractive. When you feel tempted to pursue  something or someone in the place of God, remember Jeremiah’s words and don’t believe the lie of an idol!