The Joy of Glory

Habakkuk 2:18 (click here)
What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! (Habakkuk 2:18)

Reflection
Did you have an imaginary friend as a kid?

I never did, but I have witnessed this popular phenomenon plenty of times. It seems to be mostly harmless imaginary play… but I wonder if adults are not often guilty of something very similar…

Is this not what idolatry is at its root? An idol is not an imaginary friend… but an imaginary god. And just like a small child imagines that they will have all the wonders of friendship via their imagination, people try to attain all the wonders of God through idols.

Ultimately, all our idols are attempts at satisfying the deepest desire of our heart for joy… but all our idols come up short because they really cannot give us anything at all. They are “speechless” and teachers of lies. In other words, they make promises that they are unable to fulfill. They teach us and call us to trust in them, but they have no “speech,” no power to deliver the joy they have promised.

Whether our idols are money, sex, power, self, popularity, marriage, children, singleness, education, awards, etc, etc, etc… they all turn out to be broken wells that run dry… unable to quench our thirst for joy (Jeremiah 2:11-13).

Only God and his eternal glory can satisfy our thirst for joy! Come and feast on his beauty, goodness, and greatness that never run dry… feast on his glory that will forever satisfy (Psalm 16:11)!

He is anything but imaginary!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.