Who Is Your Savior? Who do you Worship?

I met a someone today who told me, "I don't worship Jesus, God or any of that.  My savior is my Father.  He made me and he's my Lord and Savior.  My Jesus."  I thought to myself, what happens when your savior sins against you, falls short of a promise, or dies?

The initial confession that "Dad is God" caught me off guard because I had never heard that before.  But the reality is, I hear that every day, just in other ways.

When people put their joy in something, then that "thing" then becomes their god; that which they go to for fulfillment, happiness and joy.  It is the thing that knocks the living and true God off as #1 in your heart.  This is idolatry and it is to be squashed in the life of the Believer.  Colossians 3:5-6 says:

Put to death what is earthly in you, sexual immorality, impurity, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

 What a list!  It captures everything in my heart that has become idolatrous.  Admittedly, I struggle with making an idol out of my wife, children, work, hobbies, friends, and opinions of others.  When I think to myself, "I need my wife to stop disagreeing with me."  Let's direct that statement.  Because I believe I "need" my wife to do X, I inadvertently reject the fact that God is my only need (Philippians 4:19).  God immediately takes second place in my life and I live for my wife refraining from X and consistently and neatly executing Y.  She has become the God that I worship and go to for fulfillment.

I confess that I make gods out of my children.  When I think to myself, "I need my kid to do what I say right away, all the way and with a happy heart every time" then I invert entry reject the fact that God is my only need.  That he supplies all my needs according to his riches and glory (Philippians 4:19).  But I reject the lie that I "need" anything from my kids in order to have joy and peace.  I accept the truth that God is all I need.

Here's the shocking truth.  I NEED NOTHING FROM OTHER PEOPLE.  People will sin against me and they have the freedom to do so.  So, I pray that God help me reject the life that I "need" anything from anyone.  If what I need is not God, then I don't "need" it.  Furthermore, I will never be held accountable for the actions and choices of others.  Therefore, my prayers and examination will be directed towards myself.  I won't pray, "Lord I need my wife to stop doing X and start doing Y" but rather, "Lord, I need you. And your word promises you alone supply all my needs.  So I claim and stand on that truth today.  I believe, but help my unbelief.  Help me to stop making an idol out of my wife and children.  Amen."