“They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it.” – Exodus 32:8
Scripture reading: Exodus 32:1-14
If I say, “a penguin driving a car,” can you picture it? What if I say, “God”? What image comes to mind?
I used to draw pictures while listening to sermons. The picture had to relate to the sermon. Once as a child, I drew a heart with eyes, hands and feet because God is love. While it is true that God is love, it is idolatry to picture God like this.
Idolatry is not only worshiping false gods, but it is also idolatry to worship the one true God in images. My heart image of God did not show other parts of Him, like His power or glory. Similarly, Aaron’s golden calf statue of God did not show all of God. Can you look at a cow and think “loving kindness?”
If you’ve made a picture of God in your mind, maybe you only focus on one or a few of His characteristics. When you pray to Him, you may be forgetting how complex and amazing God is. God is too big to be contained in our minds. Let God be bigger than anything He created. Let God be bigger than your imagination.
Instead, continually let Scripture remind and inspire your thoughts of God. How? Try this. During church today, write “God” at the top of your page. Using only the sermon text, copy down every action God does, every word He says, every name and description of Him. Then, turn these words into a prayer of praise.
Suggestions for prayer
Repent of idolatry. Ask God to teach us what He is like and how we should think of Him. Ask God to give us minds that are alert to seeing Him revealed in Scripture and joy and faithfulness in discovering more about Him.
Katelyn Van Haren is a member of Redeemer United Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta. She received a liberal arts degree from Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario in honours accounting and is a CPA. Katelyn and her husband have five children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com