The Gods of the Nations
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be awed above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary. - Psalm 96:4-6
The ‘gods of of the nations’ that this prayer refers to are not the same as the other world religions. It might be helpful to think of them, within the pantheistic culture of the ancient Near East, as personifications of things like power, production, or pleasure. And thus, the gods our nation worships are really not that much different, are they? Whether power is international might or just ‘being in control’ in our individual lives, it seems like we could relate to that one. Instead of the production of grain and wine at harvest, we might worship being efficient, never wasting time, and always doing what makes the biggest impact. And pleasure may not be just food or drink - three thousand years later those are still huge temptations, right? - but they may include how we dedicate ourselves to our image or to ‘keeping my options open’.
And while none of these things is an absolute evil, when we prioritize them improperly (which could be a basic definition of idolatry) our fixation on them leads to our own ruin. That’s because these things are not majestic in and of themselves. Only One is truly majestic and we are invited to celebrate that One.
Can you name a few of the idols of our culture? Of your extended family? Of your own heart? What might it look like to honor God, particularly in the areas where we as individuals or communities have prioritized something else?