In today's first reading, God is angry with the people of Israel. After rescuing them from slavery in Egypt, they turn away.

"They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them," God complains to Moses, "making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it, sacrificing to it, and crying out, 'This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'"

The first time I read this, I thought the story was somewhat ridiculous. I mean, who in the world would melt some metal, make it into a figurine of some sort, and then invest this man-made object with divine power? How could you convince yourself that something constructed by human hands could have the power to care for now and in the future? It seemed hardly plausible.

But as I've thought about it, I realized that we do this all the time. I do it myself. Look at the things we believe have the power to make us happy? Money. A nice home. A prestigious job or career. A robust retirement plan. Heck, I can even convince myself that my next week-long vacation will someone rid my life of all that ails it.

These things we believe have the power to care for us are no more powerful than a molten calf created from discarded earrings. Yet, if you're like me, you spend a lot more time "worshipping" these things than God. I testify to the power I've imputed to them by my behavior. I spend far more time and energy accumulating money, working, caring for my home and possessions, than I spend in pursuit of God.

God is just about to smite the Israelites, sparing only Moses. But Moses prevails upon God to spare them, and to keep the promise to make Israel a great nation. Fortunately for us, God is merciful and understands our weakness.

Don't ask me why. If I were God, I would probably follow through on the smiting. I mean, God just parted the Red Sea for crying out loud, and moments later the people cook up this magic calf and give it the credit!

We have all been rescued by God in some way or we wouldn't be following Jesus right now. We all have some evidence of God's unconditional love for us that keeps us pursuing our faith. Yet we still make idols of things that really have no power to make us happy. We know that money, possessions, status and success do not guarantee happiness or contentment. Yet we pursue these things with all our might.

We are called to worship God, and nothing or no one else. This is difficult to do when we are offered an alternative savior just about everywhere we look. We are told that we can achieve happiness with the right body, the right job, the right financial plan, the right home, the right car…but really none of those things has any power to help us in any way.

Each time that we find ourselves wishing for these things, we might do well to ask who really is our God, and who really has the power to rescue us.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.