“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?” (Ezekiel 14:3 ESV).
When certain elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord through Ezekiel, the Lord revealed their hypocrisy to him. They appeared devout outwardly, but inwardly they had “taken their idols into their hearts.” Their devotion was divided—God on their lips, idols in their hearts. This was not the open idolatry of bowing to statues, but a secret, inward allegiance to other loves—ambition, self-sufficiency, or the approval of men. These heart-idols became the “stumbling block of their iniquity,” the very thing causing them to fall into sin. God’s question—“Should I let myself be consulted by them?”—shows that their prayers are hindered while idols rule their hearts. The Lord sees beyond our outward religion to the inward posture of our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7; Isa. 29:13).
There is a type of idol that is unseen, yet just as surely fashioned and worshiped in the human heart. This idol of the heart comes between us and God. Those elevated to leadership must recognize their particular vulnerability to this kind of idolatry. These idols are not made of wood or stone, but of pride, power, possessions, or position. They deceive us into self-reliance and make our prayer life ineffective. As with the elders in Ezekiel’s day, we may appear to seek God while secretly clutching our own ambitions. When our hearts cling to idols, our prayers hit the ceiling. But when we repent—tearing down the inner altars that compete with our devotion—God restores fellowship and hears our cries (Ps. 66:18; 1 John 1:9). Let us remove whatever has stolen our affection from God and return to our first love in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, search us and see if there is any hidden idol in our hearts. We only want You at the center of our lives. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to pull our affections off our idols and place them wholly on You. Empower us to tear them down, that we might love and serve You first. We want Your will, not ours. In Jesus’ name, amen.