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There are times when we try to reshape, edit, or customize God into something we like, think we need, think is best for us, or works better for us.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”. Exodus 20:4-5

We must study Scripture to ensure that we have a perspective on God that is shaped by the truth of God’s Word and not our thoughts, feelings, politics, or public opinion.

Do you have a Burger King God? Have you created an idol, a version of God that does not fully align with Scripture?

How often does God contradict you? Confuse you? Challenge you? Make you mad?

“If our God never contradicts us, or makes us mad, then we are likely not worshipping Him, but a reflection of ourselves.” -Karl Barth

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

Exodus 32

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, ‘Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’” Exodus 32:1

“Aaron answered them, ‘Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, ‘Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord’. So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” Exodus 32:2-6

“Idolatry is unacceptable because any attempt to depict or represent God not only falls short of the truth about God but inevitably distorts the worshipers’ understanding of God. ‘God is Spirit’ (John 4:24). Thus any physical representation will misrepresent Him and lead to false notions about Him. All idols are thus false gods, and even an idol meant to depict or represent the true God by some carving, statue, or any other physical representation is deforming of the truth about God.” -Dr. Kevin Zuber

Lesson one: Customizable gods often correspond to our fears, needs, or desires

The Israelites dealt with their legitimate needs and concerns in an illegitimate way.

If we have a need that hasn’t been met, a desire that hasn’t be fulfilled, or a concern that hasn’t been addressed, we have a tendency to customize God in a way that allows us to get what we think we need or want.

God cares far more about our sanctification, that we become more like Jesus, than our preferences.

Lesson two: Customizable gods corrupt us spiritually

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf.’”Exodus 32:7-8

“‘I have seen these people,’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.’” Exodus 32:9-10

A distorted view of God leads to a corrupted spiritual life.

A god we fully understand is a god not worth worshipping.

Lesson three: Customizable gods will only disappoint us

“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:4-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6