This is my cat. I have had her for 6 years. She is the perfect pet. No feeding, and no hair balls. Also no meows or soft fur, no sweet purrs. Hmm, maybe not the best, if you want a pet that can give back to you. At least my dogs don't chase her. Who would settle for a picture when they could have the real thing?

Of course the real thing comes with responsibilities, costs and needs. You have to commit to caring, feeding and cleaning out the litter box. I like my cat better for now. I know this sounds odd, but sometimes people will settle for a picture of Jesus, instead of the real one. They are glad to know about Him, but don't want to have Him lead them, influence them and give them direction. He can get in the way!

 It costs something to follow the Lord, no it costs us everything! Knowing Him will cost you your life, but then without Him it is non-life. He is more real than anything that we can see in this world. This reminds me of chapter 10 in the book of Jeremiah, where God is speaking to the prophet. He tells him about the wood that is taken from a tree and some of it is used in the fire, and some of it is hewn to form an idol. People bow down to it and worship it, but do not realize that the same wood that warms them is used to form an inanimate figure, that has no mouth, ears, and cannot hear or see!  

I used to think that money was an important thing. My family thought so too. I was raised by a father that  had no knowledge of God, and therefore fell into idolatry, the love of money. He held on to it so tightly that he treated family like outsiders, so those who really loved him were turned away. It was a snare, a trap that made his life miserable instead of happy. Putting anything above God makes for a lonely existence. All other things turn to dust, and become what they originally came from, dust. Those things that come from above last forever. A relationship with God, eternal life, love, truth, compassion. "But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the creator of everything that exists, including Israel, his own special possession. The Lord of Heaven's Armies is his name!"{ Jeremiah 10:16 NLT}