I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods beside me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ….
Exodus 20, 2 – 4

God has freed His people from bondage, from Egypt. They shall never again end in bondage. That is why He gave this commandment. Only in the devotion, love and worship of the one God lies freedom and protection from new slavery. This commandment is absolutely necessary for us; – God Himself could do without it, for He is not dependent on our worship.
HE alone is LORD. – This means that there are no other gods. God alone: God-Father, God-Son and God-Holy Spirit. Only to Him belongs the adoration, worship, asking, judging, helping, just being God. Some make themselves “emergency bridges” because they fear God or do not know Him. And so they create for themselves saints and other figures, men, gods, or saints, who intercede for them before God as intercessors. God calls this a transgression of His holy law, and man comes under God’s curse (cf. v. 5).
Some people have their ideas about God. Actually, God is clearly described in the Bible, the Word of God. But churches and theologians and books have created a different image of God that is more pleasing to man. There the religious longing of man is fulfilled and he has a way of dealing with God. But it is not the biblical way and not the way Jesus shows us. This image of God is already implanted in children and they find it hard to get away from it and find it hard to recognize the true God in Jesus.
Some friends have been saved by Jesus and freed from the mud of sin. But after a few years they became absorbed in the traditions of the church and Jesus became more and more a secondary matter, He is now no longer the center of faith. A pity for them!  They are going astray.
Test yourself with whom you talk in prayer: God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit? Or are there still more people with whom you talk in prayer? Or whom you worship and pay homage to? What is in your heart: the image of Jesus alone, or are there still ideas of human mediators and intercessors who deserve thanks and attention?
Where is your God? Some have built up idols in their lives: I cannot live without them, and they get totally nervous if they don’t have them. Or their hobby. They often put it higher than God. It is more important to them. Or a fellow human being for whom you do everything for; – the children, the partner, the boss or the pastor, the church.
Let’s check out what God might be fighting for the first place in our hearts! And return to our first, hot love for Jesus!

Jesus, You are the judge of hearts and thoughts. Please test me if I have other gods beside You! Show me so that I can correct it, for You alone shall be my God.