During the early years of Samuel, Israel’s last judge, the people of Israel recaptured the ark of the Lord from the Philistines.
But feeling guilty that they had allowed it to be conquered in the first place, they hid it away like a box in the attic. They continued to live without God’s guidance and complained about their problems, and yes, blamed God.
“It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’” 1 Samuel 7:2-3
Idols today are not gods of wood or stone, but they are just as dangerous. Money, success, power, material goods, pride, or anything else is an idol to us if it holds first place in our lives.
If we truly want to return to the Lord, we must ask God to help us “dethrone” anything that rivals Him. We must take Christ out of hiding and allow Him to totally guide our lives, and make the One True God our #one priority.
Have blessed day!
In Christian love,
Diane