Gods of (Insert your city here)
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Isaiah 46
1. Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are on beasts and cattle; these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary beasts. 2. They stoop, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3. "Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from your birth, carried from the womb; 4. even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. 5. "To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? 6. Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! 7. They lift it upon their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. 8. "Remember this and consider, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 9. remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10. declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, `My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' 11. calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12. "Hearken to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from deliverance: 13. I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off, and my salvation will not tarry; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory."
I have begun my devotion time in Isaiah for the past couple of weeks. I have felt that I’m pretty familiar with the book, but isn’t it just like God to make old words like new! And these verses are rather timely as our church plans to launch a capital campaign this fall! Gods of Babylon is the title of this chapter in my NIV bible. “Gods of Richmond” could be an equally applicable, though or “Gods of ____ (insert your city or town here).”
What God is telling us through Isaiah is that we spend an awful lot to money, time, energy creating our own “perfection” on earth. We worship the rich and the famous and we strive to be like our neighbors and long to be one of Donald Trump’s apprentices! We overeat, we engage in risky behaviors, we end up addicted to the very things we sought out as a means of peace, comfort, rest, relief. And God, at this point, is reminding us that we do not need to wear ourselves out seeking after things that do not satisfy--that never can and never will. Only He can meet our every need. Only He can have a relationship with us. He doesn’t require sacrifices of burnt offerings. We don’t spend our life savings creating a golden casting of him and then remain burdened to worship him the rest of our lives. We don’t need to carry him with us so we can be in his presence wherever we go.
God is with us. Always was, always will be. He ardently desires a relationship with us. And he makes it so easy! All we need to do is acknowledge Him as the sole source of every good thing in our lives. Worship him as our creator. Adore him as only power in creation who can place stars in the sky, blades of grass upon the earth, and a soul within us that makes us a part of him--his favorite part. He thinks us into existence and carries us through every moment of our lives. He breathes us into being and sustains us and upholds us as we travel through this world. He IS God. Not A god. THE God! I don’t know about you, but in this world today, I need THE God of creation!
Isaiah reveals to us that God doesn’t want us to “spin our wheels” trying to figure out how to have a blessed life! He has already made provisions for us. Don’t worry about all the trappings of this world--don’t seek after them, don’t strive for what we don’t need. God is the one truth that never fails us. “9. remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10. declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, `My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’”
I hope today you find tremendous comfort in remembering that God has it all under control. And that you give Him all your burdens, trusting that he will carry you and sustain you.
Mary
