Laban, Where are Your Gods?

"Now you have gone off because you long for your father's family- but why have you stolen my gods?" (Gen. 31:30) "My gods... your God...my gods" was the constant dialogue of Laban as he pursued and indicted Jacob for stealing his idols. When the statues were taken by his daughter, Rachel, the pagan idolater became enraged against his son-in-law. After not recovering the idols, Laban quickly gave up. Yet where were his gods? They were being sat on by Rachel. The gods that Laban pursued with such an indignant fire couldn't even save themselves. And after not finding them, Laban turned back home to fashion some more. When he could have joined Jacob to pursue the one true God, he turned away from Jacob to fashion his own perishable gods. Oh my friend, how can gods, fashioned by man's hand, who can't save themselves ever save those who worship them? How eye-opening this narrative is to the reality of the world abroad! "You can have your God, and I'll have my gods," the pluralist says. "There are many ways to God," the universalist preaches. But in the end, where do the ideas of pluralism and universalism lead? In the very least, the gods man fashions by his own hands lead to a life of constant angst, depression, and sense of failure. For these gods fail and are temporary. What do they serve in the realm of the eternal? In the end, what joy do they bring? Money cannot give eternal joy because it is temporary and only for this life. Sex cannot satisfy forever, for the body breaks down and emotions wain. The foreign idols are of vain use because they are fashioned by human hands. If one god does not serve someone's desires, a new god is quickly fashioned in hope of satisfaction. These gods will never satisfy, for they cannot satisfy, for they were made of human hands and will perish. How often do we do this? When a child receives a toy, she's quick to desire something else; something better. When his wife can't satisfy the desire of his heart, a man abandons her for another. We, in the idolatry of our hearts, are prone to abandon God and pursue broken things (Jer. 2:13). At the most, these gods result in damnation. "There are many ways to God," the unbelievers love to say. Yes, I would agree. There are many ways to God- to God in His wrath. But there is only one Way to the Father in His mercy, namely, Jesus Christ the Son of God. My friend, lean not on the idols fashioned by your own hands or the gods of your heart, whether they be success, achievement, or relationships. They cannot satisfy. In the end, they will perish and will be tread on by the fury of God's wrath. For there is only one triune God. Besides Him, there is none other Come to the Father through Jesus Christ the Son by the power of the Spirit. Look to Him that is everlasting and find joy in Him forevermore.