“Whether it’s a supernatural being . . . science, money, wisdom, information, ritual, power or love,” says social commentator Hugh Mackay, “most of us assign the status of god to something in our lives.” The truth is: Modern, secular people still worship something even if they’ve abandoned belief in God.

The first chapter of Romans describes this human religious impulse powerfully. Its message is threefold:

1. There is a God, and He has revealed Himself. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20).

2. People are designed to worship. When we refuse to worship God (Romans 1:21), we don’t stop worshiping. Instead, we put other “gods” in His place (Romans 1:25). In ancient times, these gods were embodied in carvings of people, birds, and animals (Romans 1:23). Today’s “gods,” Hugh Mackay noted, can include anything from money and power to love.

3. Worshiping any other god will destroy us. The irony is, while we thought we were “wise” in rejecting the true God, we actually became “confused” (Romans 1:21- 22). While we thought other gods would bring us life, they actually brought us death—resulting in distorted sexuality (Romans 1:26-27), greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, and pride (Romans 1:28-32). Worshiping the true God makes us fully human (Genesis 1:27; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Worshiping false gods makes us inhuman.

So, what do you worship? Be assured that worshiping anything other than the true God Himself will destroy you. Who will rescue us from our destructive idols? Jesus, who entered our darkness and died for us (Romans 4:25). Through His resurrection we can be raised to new life now and forever! (Romans 8:10-11).

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Jeremiah 1:1-9