An idol is defined as: a false god on object of passionate devotion.  How many times have you hidden food or waited until you were alone to eat and then been angry when you were interrupted.  God showed me how greedy and passionately devoted I was to my one day in a somewhat humorous but sobering way, but before I tell you this story I need to preface it with a confession of a couple of my many weaknesses.

I have a little aversion to germs in food and a terrible phobia of mice. I go into hysterics and panic when I see one.

Now on with my story; My favorite thing to eat in the whole world is warm pecan pie ala mode and I couldn’t wait until the kids went outside to play because I had made a pecan pie, and there were only three pieces left and five people in my family!

By the time my girls finally went outside, I was lusting for my treat.  There I was all alone with my love. And even though I wasn’t the slightest bit hungry I thought I better steal the chance while I had it.

I lovingly cut a large piece of the delicious treat, put it on a small decorative desert plate and placed it in the microwave and set the time so it would be the perfect temperature, I got the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer. I was thinking about how wonderful the warm pie taste with the cold ice cream.  Right on time the microwave beeped signaling my pie was the ideal temperature. I adoringly pulled my sweet prize out and put the frozen ice cream on the pie.  

Just then, the front door slamming interrupted the moment I was having with my lover. I immediately got angry with the person who would break up my stolen moment. I decided they were out to get me and came in at this moment just to bug me.

My darling but willful five year old, Tayler, came in and climbed up on the stool in front of me saying “I want a piece.”

Although this made me angry, I held my temper in check as I was still sane enough to appreciate I was being unreasonable.

I passed her my piece of pie and began to cut another from the pie in the refrigerator.

She decided the perfect piece of pie I had given her was not good enough and started poking it with her tiny finger saying look its too hot to eat mama you made it too hot.

My temper was mounting, and my sanity level was plummeting, looking at her petulant face and watching her little finger poking holes all over the thing of my affection. Gritting my teeth I said fine; and slid the cold piece of pie her direction knowing full well this would not satisfy her.

Soon, we were nose to nose mouths wide open each throwing a doozey of a tantrum, trying to out shout each other, she howling and crying and me yelling.  

Finally I sent her to her room, because I’m the biggest. I sat down determined to eat my pie still fuming.

Looking at what had once been my masterpiece and now was a protuberant lump full of holes, cold pie swimming in warm separated white watery "goo" that used to be ice-cream, but I was still determined to eat it, muttering at how she had spoiled everything because now I couldn’t even enjoy my pie (because of my guilt).

I cut a piece with my fork, raised it to my mouth...  When my nine year old; who had walked in just before the tantrum episode, and was a witness to the whole unholy melee said calmly,

“Mama did you know Tayler was playing with the neighbors mouse and didn’t even wash her hands?”

That was it! I totally lost control, I was about to do something Tayler would have been punished for. I raised my fork behind my ear and was getting ready to fling it, when God chose that moment to sweetly speak to my raging heart, in a still, small, un-condemning, voice.

             “ You love this pie more than you love anything.”

I was so convicted, as I sat there I realized, I had been worshiping, adoring and loving that mess more than my children, and most of all my Lord. I had completely lavished all my love and affection on this god.  It was my golden calf and I was worshiping at its feet. 

If you give your affection and love to the one who truly deserves it, He will fill your life with joy. Anything you give up He will replace with something better.  

Read: Psalm 107:9