All for a Grass-Eating Bull...

"They exchanged their glorious God
   for an image of a bull, which eats grass."
Psalm 106:20

Earlier I was reading part of Psalm 106 when I came across the verse above. I admit, I slightly laughed at the thought that people (the Israelites) were willing to bow down to an image of an bull which eats grass. Nevertheless, putting aside the funny business, this verse really stuck out to me. How often do I bow down to "an image of a bull, which eats grass."? Okay so maybe I'm not bowing down to a cow-like creature, but what other idols could I or you potentially be bowing down to without realizing it?

Money
Social Status
Reputation
Relationships
Material Objects
Sexual Sin
Electronics
Facebook

Those are just a few that I could name off the top of my head. Perhaps you can relate to one of those, I can say that at various points in my life I've been able to relate to several of those.

You know what the saddest part of all this is, the saddest part of the verse?
They exchanged God for those things.
They exchanged their GLORIOUS God for a grass-eating bull.
They exchanged love, forgiveness, hope, encouragement, faith, and purity for sin, idolatry, weakness, destruction, imperfection, and worthlessness.

I'm sad to say that we, me included, do that every day. Every day we're given many choices, with the option of holding onto our glorious King, or trading Him for second rate, for junk, honestly.

Why would we trade God for money, when in reality, He is what makes us eternally rich?
Why would we trade God for a relationship with someone else when no ones love can compare to His?
Why would we trade God for clothing, for cars, for food even, when they all turn to dust and rot, yet He is infinite and unchanging?
Why would we trade God for lust, when all it wants to do is harm us, meanwhile, all God ever wanted was to protect us and keep us pure?

For the past five minutes I've been trying to think of some epic conclusion to this blog post but I simply cannot think of one. All I can say is that God is glorious, creator of the world, maker of Heaven and Earth. He knew you and I even before the world began, every thing we would think, say and do. He knows the deepest longings of our hearts. He controls everything. He is infinite. He is powerful. He is our King. He is so faithful!

I guess the most beautiful thing about all of this is, is that even while we abandon Him, even when we are unfaithful and give into idols, He loves. He forgives. He satisfies. Can money do that? Can Facebook do that? Can the opinions of others regarding you do that?

"...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua 24:15