Idols and working out

You know, let me make a strong statement.

If an idol is anything that comes (or can come) between us and God - then all of us have at least one idol in our lives.

Come on now, admit it - it is true.

An idol can be:

Other people.  We can worship actors, politicians or athletes.

Our possessions.  Things we buy or want to buy.

Our families.  Where our entire lives are given for our children.

Our distractions:  Things like television, the Internet, an ipad or an iPhone.

Our hobbies:  golf, sports, knitting, games - and here's a big one:  facebook.

Others fall on their knees at the idol of control.  They have to control everything in their lives.  The people around them.  Their family.  Their job.  And yes, even the church (whenever there is disunity in the church it is almost always about control).

It can be a ministry in the church.  Some people go to the First Church of the (and fill in the blank with a ministry).  Worshipping God becomes secondary to them (I watch these people come late into worship Sunday after Sunday - I ask you - what is more important - our service to God or the God we serve?). 

It can even be our bodies.

This past week, my barber told me his son works out at the local Lifetime fitness club, every evening from 7:30 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.

I don't disagree with working out (I do almost every day - treadmill), but if I am spending hours upon hours working out (or doing any of the above) without taking care of my spiritual life - it is an idol in my life.

BTW - I can always tell what is an idol in any person's life by what they talk about.  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:8, "Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

Some people think nothing of spending three hours watching their favorite shows - but yet balk at the idea of spending ten minutes reading the Word of God.

They think nothing of sweating until their muscles burn, yet they recoil form spending time in prayer.

They find time to work out, rain or shine, but if it rains on Sunday, that pouring rain is a really great excuse to skip church.

Some people think nothing of working out for hours on a stair stepper or a treadmill; yet they back down at the thought of building their "spiritual muscles" through the disciplines of prayer and reading the Word.

My challenge to you today is not to stop things like working out or watching T.V.  But do keep on practicing your spiritual disciplines.

It's our spirits and our souls that will live forever.

Don't you think we should take care of our inner person as well?

Just a challenging thought for a Thursday.