House Hold gods?

     Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritist, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem.  This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.

2 Kings 23:24

     As Judah  began its slide into immorality, like the rest of Israel had already done, occasionally there would be a King like Josiah. He was one of the few Kings who would seek God's wisdom, and surrender to obey God.  God blessed each of those Kings who did so.  One of things Judah had done was develop their own little gods.  They were found in virtually every household, therefore, they were called "household gods."  These would be little statues or things conveniently placed around the home so that the home dweller could pause and invest time in them.  Why? Because they provided meaning for their life, but they also replaced their need to find their identity as being dependent on the true and living God. Josiah knew, as we know,  that these gods violated the number one commandment of the Almighty. "You shall not have any other gods instead of me!  Having such gods was and is egregious to God. Giving these gods greater priority than God results in the death penalty. Josiah, therefore, removed them along with the mediums, spiritist and idols, and "other detestable things."

     Sadly many today find themselves also doing those things detestable to God: The new age movement is nothing more than a repackaging and utilization of spiritists and mediums.  Today we call these "spirit guides." And some people set themselves up to "channel"  them, as they use crystals and other inanimate objects. Mediums we now call Psychics, and they are making millions of dollars from people throughout modern culture.  In the Bible,  God calls these entities demons and evil spirits and or just plain evil and again "detestable" to Him.  All of which guide a person to live independent of God.

     However, there are other things we "modernist" utilize for finding meaning for our lives.  We have all kinds of technological and media wizardry that consume us and keeps us from practicing intimacy with the true and living God. They, like household gods, take up a huge amount of our time and energy, if we let it.  Somehow God is left in the background for just a few minutes of our time (if any time at all) and this is not pleasing.  It is so easy to watch our computer screens and view movies that glorify bad immoral behaviour to the corruption of our culture.  That which use to embarrass us and cause us to blush is now seen as what is right and moral. Some are so attached to their computers and cellphones that they carelessly careen through life even while they are driving cars or other vehicles. The result of all this is death on our highways and desynthesized souls that have lost the fear and love for God.  These, for some,  have become their new gods.

     You may say, "You cannot possibly be talking about me."  Well let's check this out.  How much time are you spending viewing media?  How much time are you on your computer?  How connected are you with your cell phone?  How many hours are you facebooking, pinteresting, texting and tweeting, instagramming and emailing your  "friends?" Now when was the last time you spent an hour enjoying an intimate hour in prayer with the one who loves you more than you love yourself? When you awaken in the morning, do you get up, clean up and rush out the door?  Or do you get up early enough to spend time with the true and living God. Do you intentionally connect with your "friend" Jesus? Do you get really upset leaving your cell phone at home?  During the day, are you aware of the presence of God in your life?  Or is it your attitude that you know God is around, and you firmly believe God loves you, which HE does, BUT do you actually "practice God's presence through the day. Or does your electronic sphere take over your life as you journey from morning to night. Are you so synthesized by these mediums of interaction that you are intimidated to be silent throughout the day regarding your Lord? You actually believe the lie that you cannot publicly represent Jesus?

     Don't get me wrong, all the modern technology and such are NOT, in and of themselves, somehow evil or bad.  They have been and can be used for some fairly phenomenal stuff; however, sadly, for all too many they are the little gods that govern every waking moment of our lives.  Our time is spent with them.  Our meaning is in them too the point many have to always have the latest.  We view material on them that dilute our longing for holiness and purity of heart.  That which God has called an abomination is now viewed as okay and even a civil right.  The things God declares as unholy are no longer seen as trapping people in bondage to sin and death, from which Christ can deliver us.  And so we are deformed spiritually (as opposed to transformed,) and our faith becomes anemic.  "Household gods" tend to do that to people.

     Let me encourage anyone who truly desires to be a Christ-Follower, to break their hold on you, by the power of God's Holy Spirit.  Use these items as you may, but please learn how to really live and practice God's presence throughout the day.  Practice truly being alone with God, through faith in Jesus who is the Christ, by the power of The Holy Spirit.  Read a psalm during the day, a hymn, sing a spiritual song.  Listen to Christian radio and praise God as you journey "from here to there."  Get up early enough to develop a devotional life that truly devotes your day to God. Before you go to bed, change some of your texting time to alone time with your Creator. Imagine yourself texting and tweeting to God.  Just as you "facebook" your friends at night, spend face time, spiritually speaking, with God.  It will amaze you how much light God will put into your life when you put away your "household gods." It will surprise you about the quality of truly having life will be when you abide with the Lord Jesus, throughout the day, and He abides with you, through His Holy Spirit. Let God truly be God in your life.  And let the other stuff be that for which it was intended. Put away the "household gods."

SoJourner