Mommy, why do people worship gods?

I love driving my kids to and from school. It provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss all sorts of interesting things. One day, my son wondered why people worship gods of stone and iron and such.

Many people take an object, like a rabbit's foot, and attach a superstition to it. A rabbit's foot is supposed to bring good luck. A person rubs it or puts it in his pocket believing that having it with him will bring him good luck. The worship of images is similar.

People formed these images to represent something: an idea, a hope, a spirit, a person or saint, etc. Believing they will obtain favor or thwart punishment or bad luck, they perform certain rituals (like rubbing the rabbit's foot). Such faith, however, is in vain.

Unfortunately, many approach God the same way. They seek to appease Him with their good works or ritualistic worship. They go through a series of rituals to appeal to Him and get Him to do what they want Him to do. Such a relationship is not guided by love, a major component of the faith of Jesus Christ.

There is nothing that we can do that will make ourselves 'right' with God. We can't cling to our parents' faith, and say, "I'm saved because I was raised in a Christian home." You performed your own sin acts. You've exacted your own sin debt. Only you can humble yourself, repent, and call on the name of the Lord for your own sins. Your parents can't do it for you.

"I am crucified with Christ:..." Galatians 2:20.

"I am" is personal. It isn't "my family is crucified with Christ..." It is "I am". You cannot inherit your salvation from your parents, though they can have influence on your faith.

We can't work our way to Heaven. No amount of church-going, praying, rubbing of charms, baptism, good works, or Bible reading can save you. There is only one work, and that was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.

If you prayed the "sinners' prayer" just to appease your family, or to fit in with your friends, or simply for fire insurance, then your faith will not pass the tests that will come. You are treating God in the same manner as those who worship man-made gods. It becomes a work, not a walk of faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says:

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

The difference between faith and works at times is but a hair. God desires that we seek Him. He wants us to love Him. But if we are only coming to Him to get fire insurance, we are not truly seeking Him, only what we can get from Him.

Why do people worship gods? Often they simply want someone or something to do their will, to grant them their wishes, to answer their prayers. So they create an object and say, "Here is my god who will do my bidding."

That is not how we should approach God Almighty, Lord of lords, and King of kings.

God rewards those who diligently seek Him. How does one diligently seek Him?

• Begin by humbling yourself;
• Pray and call out to Him;
• Read God's Word - hunger after it;
• Turn from your old ways.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10

We must not approach God with the notion of getting what we want and then going our way. That is treating Him like a rabbit's foot. He's much more than that.

God desires to give us good things, but He is not a "sugar daddy" handing out treats at our request, or a barter in a market expecting to make bargains with us.

Let's not worship God Almighty like He was an image we created for our own purposes. Let us fear Him, love Him, and seek Him with all our heart, all our soul and all our might.

"And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" Deut. 10:12-13

How have you been treating God? Has He become your rabbit's foot? Or do you truly Love Him, willing to accept His will in all things?