SEP 21

Genesis 30:1-2
Memorise Colossians 3:5
“…covetousness, which is idolatry”

In Colossians 3:5, we are told to mortify (put to death) the earthly and ungodly elements within us. Within the list of dastardly sins that includes fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection and evil concupiscence, is also the sin of covetousness, which is also described as idolatry. So we wonder, is covetousness really that bad? How is it idolatry?

In our Christian life, we ought to give God first place, to put Him first in all that we do. He is to be the one whom you desire the most, the one whom you want to please. However, when we allow covetousness to set in, what very quickly happens is that you begin to desire for something other than God. God is no longer first place in your heart, but something else takes His place. That object of desire then becomes your idol.

You can covet after so many different things in life, both tangible and intangible things. For Rachel, it was the strong desire to have children that consumed her, so much so that she cried unto her husband Jacob, “give me children, or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). She was so envious of her sister who had a few sons, while she remained barren. She had allowed the innocent desire to produce offspring to overcome her, somuch so that it had become her god. For us, there could be so many different things that would clamour for our attention, and take our desire away from God. Some people might be overcome with their desire to do well in their studies or CCA, and are envious of those who perform better than them; others are obsessed with their looks and physique, and are envious of those whom they feel are prettier or more handsome than them. We may also covet after material possessions, and long to have parents who are more wealthy and generous, and are able to buy for us the many things that we want; or desire to have a larger social circle with more ‘cool’ friends. In all these cases, when we allow such desires to take root in our hearts and drown out our desire for God, then what we have is covetousness which is idolatry.

Thus as Paul tells us in Colossians 3:5, we are to put to death such sinful inclinations that we have, but instead to seek after the things of God and not the things of this Earth.

Thought: There should be nothing that I desire more than God.
Prayer: Lord, may You help me to mortify the sinful affections within me, and help me to place You first in my life.