Mercy Road Prayers: A Prayer for Defeating Idolatry

Mercy Road Daily Prayer: A Prayer for Defeating Idolatry ~ Friday, October 12, 2012
~ Read 1 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

1 Samuel 7:3-4 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

What do I get from my idols, Lord God? How do they add to my life? Why do I run to them for comfort when I’m troubled? When have they ever done anything for me?

If anything, Lord, my idols make it hard for me to return to you when I have been unfaithful, because they won’t let me go. They feed me lies, and tell me you don't care. They trick me into believing you won’t be faithful and true. They fill me with guilt and shame for how much I need them. They make me believe I am worthless, and vile scum. Though I take on my idols because I believe I can control them, they end up controlling me; for that’s just what idols do.

Whether they are “bad idols,” like money, power, sex, etc., or "good idols," like family, happiness, health, and so forth, idols control our lives by becoming so important to us, that we’d do anything for them, as if nothing else matters. Lord God, we’re so broken we can even turn your church into an idol by pursuing it instead of pursuing you. Our hearts, truly are idol factories, manufacturing gods for ourselves, so we don’t have to submit our lives to you.

Gracious Lord, reveal the idols of our hearts to us. Help us to put away those other “gods,” so we can return to you. Show us again how we should love you with all our hearts. You are good. You are holy. You are faithful, and you are true. Make us totally devoted to serving you through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Amen