Morning, May 4

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods."

  Jeremiah 16:20

   One great besetting sin of ancient Israel was idolatry, and the
   spiritual Israel are vexed with a tendency to the same folly. Remphan's
   star shines no longer, and the women weep no more for Tammuz, but
   Mammon still intrudes his golden calf, and the shrines of pride are not
   forsaken. Self in various forms struggles to subdue the chosen ones
   under its dominion, and the flesh sets up its altars wherever it can
   find space for them. Favourite children are often the cause of much sin
   in believers; the Lord is grieved when he sees us doting upon them
   above measure; they will live to be as great a curse to us as Absalom
   was to David, or they will be taken from us to leave our homes
   desolate. If Christians desire to grow thorns to stuff their sleepless
   pillows, let them dote on their dear ones.

   It is truly said that "they are no gods," for the objects of our
   foolish love are very doubtful blessings, the solace which they yield
   us now is dangerous, and the help which they can give us in the hour of
   trouble is little indeed. Why, then, are we so bewitched with vanities?
   We pity the poor heathen who adore a god of stone, and yet worship a
   god of gold. Where is the vast superiority between a god of flesh and
   one of wood? The principle, the sin, the folly is the same in either
   case, only that in ours the crime is more aggravated because we have
   more light, and sin in the face of it. The heathen bows to a false
   deity, but the true God he has never known; we commit two evils,
   inasmuch as we forsake the living God and turn unto idols. May the Lord
   purge us all from this grievous iniquity!


   "The dearest idol I have known,

   Whate'er that idol be;

   Help me to tear it from thy throne,

   And worship only thee."