Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
—Deuteronomy 6:4
Our verse today is a prayer called the Shema, prayed in Jewish synagogues and in some Christian churches. It’s simple but contains one of the most important and profound truths of Christianity. The Lord is our God, and the Lord is one. He’s the Alpha and Omega, the only God worthy of worship.
In every generation, there are people and things that keep us from seeing God as the only one like Him. In ancient Israel, literal idols carved from raw materials were often the problem. These idols represented gods whose religions required worship the true God found detestable. It included sexual orgies, human sacrifices and
self-mutilation.
Today, these forms of idol worship are rarer. Modern people, including Christians, can fall into the trap of worshipping careers, possessions, money and prestige. Sometimes our family, home and security can become idols. God never said any of these things are sinful, but they become so when they take His place.
Since it’s so easy to slip into idolatry, pray often about whether you’re putting God first. If God shows you an idol, don’t beat yourself up. Avail yourself of His grace and seek to replace the idol with the One God. This may take time, and you may have to dethrone the same idol many times. However, God will always be patient in helping you. You’ll never defeat idols alone. Each time you do, you’ll find God more worthy of worship, so it’ll be harder to turn to idols.
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