No Glory. Just a Grass-Eating Bull
By Erik / July 28, 2025 / No Comments / Identity
“At Horeb they fashioned a calf,
worshiped a metal statue.
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bull.
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt.”
—Psalm 106:19–21 (NABRE)
Thousands of years ago, the people of Israel did something that still stuns us: just weeks after being delivered from slavery in Egypt, they melted down their gold, fashioned a calf, and bowed to it.
It’s easy to read that and think, “How could they forget God so quickly?”
But the truth is, we do the same thing today—just with modern-day idols.
Our Modern Idols
The golden calf wasn’t just a statue—it was a symbol. A replacement. A cheap stand-in for the real thing.
Today, we chase different idols:
- Success at all costs
- Status and social approval
- Pleasure and comfort
- Money, title, control, performance
These are our man-made glories. We build them, we serve them, and we let them define us. And in the process, we forget who God is—and who we are.
The Identity Exchange
In The Good Pursuit, I talk about identity as the first pillar of a transformed life. It’s foundational. When we forget God’s goodness and faithfulness, we forget our origin—and trade our divine identity for something lesser.
The ancient Israelites in this text didn’t just disobey; they forgot their story. They exchanged the truth of being sons and daughters of God for the illusion of control. And we do it too—every time we chase something temporary to fill a hunger only God can satisfy.
How to Tear Down the Modern Calf
If you’re ready to stop trading your glory for a lie, here’s a place to begin:
1. Remember what God has already done.
Don’t forget your Egypt—your testimony, your turning point. Gratitude realigns the heart.
2. Identify the modern idols.
What do you look to for validation? What steals your time, peace, or confidence when it’s missing? That’s your idol.
3. Reclaim your true identity.
You are not your performance. You are not your failures. You are not the opinion of others. You are a son of God, made for glory—not to chase it, but to reflect it.
4. Build daily rhythms that point back to God.
Prayer. Scripture. Community. These aren’t religious boxes—they’re reminders. They anchor and order you to your true story.
5. Choose freedom.
Real freedom isn’t doing what you want. It’s living in line with who you were created to be.
Final Word
The golden calf isn’t just a story of the past. It’s a relevant message for today.
You were made for glory. Don’t trade it for an image. Don’t serve what can’t save.
Return to the God who delivers, speaks, and satisfies.
Because nothing else ever will.
Want to Go Deeper?
If this hit home, grab your copy of The Good Pursuit. Inside, you’ll find five pillars for rebuilding your life from the inside out—starting with who you really are.