#1 You shall have no other gods before me. I love this. God first declares I am God, Lord, and deliverer and His first command is to have no other gods. I love the logic of God. If He is God, there is no other. To have other gods of any kind would be to live in a fantasy or delusion of some type. God doesn’t live in fantasy, but in reality, and a reality that He alone is God.

We can theologize this command or we can ask ourselves some questions. When in trouble do I go to God? Do I behave as if I believe He is God? Do I seek and worship Him regularly acknowledging that He is God? If someone was doing a DVD of my life, would there be enough evidence that He is God of my life? Then also, ask these questions about you, as a marriage. Do we seek God together? Together do we ask for help and guidance? Together do we seek and worship Him?

The other litmus test for a person or a marriage, as to whether God alone is God, is obedience. Do we do His will or our will? For me, this alone tells me if I have any other God than God. As a marriage if and when we know His will and we do it, we are confident we have no other Gods but God.

#2 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; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand (generations) of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Now I really don’t expect many people reading this to have physical idol problems. I don’t believe many westerners believe idols have powers, or that you would find many Christian couples bowing down or chanting to some object.

However, let me suggest an idol I have seen in western culture that often competes for worship, even among Christians. It’s the idol of me, myself, and I. When someone worships this idol, so much gets measured by their perceived strengths or abilities. This person or marriage can become so self-reliant that it doesn’t need God.

This couple can rely on their smartness, wealth, success, or abilities to manipulate others. They have created systems in their life or beliefs that don’t permit God to be God. This couple may be religious, but intimacy with God is absent. They talk about God, but rarely hear God talk to them. This self-sufficiency is the idol I see couples get into.

Interestingly in this command, you see God describe a relationship with Him. You as a person or as a couple love him or hate him. This seems strong, but I think throughout the Bible you see this belief of not being able to serve two masters. You will love one and hate the other. In Revelation God says, “ I wish you were cold or hot.”

Hot pursuit of God is the only guaranteed solution to not having idols. Having idols can make you believe in your superiority in some way. This kind of self-worship can damage a marriage. I find couples with no self-worship are humble, teachable, and able to extend grace to themselves and their spouse as a lifestyle. The couple with no idols is a trinity with a sweet fragrance for sure.