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The title of Pastor Danny’s sermon was: What did it mean for Israel to deal faithlessly with God? To me this sermon wasn’t just historical, it was very practical for my life. Scripture reminds us that the Lord, God of Israel, is not just one option among many gods, He is the only true and self-existing God (Exod. 3:14). In Exodus, He publicly exposes the emptiness of the Egyptian gods, showing that no rival can stand beside Him. And through Moses, we learn that this God does not negotiate worship; He deserves it.

Israel, however, struggled to live consistently with that truth. Although they were chosen by grace, pulled out of idolatry, they repeatedly looked sideways at the nations around them. They wanted worship that felt familiar, manageable, and culturally comfortable. But God’s commandment, “Not like them” in Lev. 12 reveals His holiness, jealousy and His care for us because He knows that the way of the Lord is always good.

As a Christian in 2026, I would like to think that the title belongs safely in the past. Ancient Israel. Ba’al. High places. Wooden idols. But the longer I sat with it, the more I realized how close that story feels. I believe it was John Calvin who said, “my heart is a factory of idols.” Certainly, I do not bow to carved images, but I manufacture God-substitutes constantly. Comfort. Approval. Productivity. Control. Security. Each one quietly competing for the loyalty that belongs to God alone.

If I am honest, I understand that impulse. I want worship that fits neatly into my schedule. I want obedience that does not cost too much. I want God, but I also want control. And God says, “Not like them.”

This week, I constantly want to ask myself these questions: What am I trusting in for my safety? What defines success for me? Where does my mind run when I am anxious? Those answers reveal my real worship. I pray that the Lord would help expose the idols I worship. I pray that the true God would teach me to worship Him, not in the way that feels comfortable, but in the way He has commanded in His Word.