Who’s Carrying Who?
Isaiah 46:6-7 CEV
(6) Some people hire a goldsmith and give silver and gold to be formed into an idol for them to worship.
(7) They carry the idol on their shoulders, then put it on a stand, but it cannot move. They call out to the idol when they are in trouble, but it doesn’t answer, and it cannot help.
Highly motivated by the illusion of gratification and fulfilled desires, it is easy to devote extensive resources to acquire, develop and enhance that object of worship in life. Whether it’s a job, skill, relationship, home, position, television, tool, or toy, in order to gain that thing, to have it in all its promise of fulfillment, it will require great effort. For that thing to do its thing and bring whatever it is it brings, it will have to be purchased, positioned and transported to the place where it can be placed in prominence and given the devotion it demands. It can go nowhere on its own, but will have to be carried about, totally and completely dependent upon the efforts of its worshiper for its existence. Then, at the time when it’s supposed to be there in all of its glory, it fails, blows a fuse, doesn’t show up or answer calls, leaving its devotee with nothing of substance. You would think that after all the time spent looking at it, all the money provided to acquire it, and every effort extended to lift and carry it, it could at least be there for you in the time of difficulty? It could at least respond when a cry goes out to it to gratify once more?
While the gods of this world require us for their movement and existence, there is one God that is exploding with promise of life and all its potential goodness, which doesn’t require any rides, who has, in fact, already been giving us a lift from the day we were born. Though he’s incredibly faithful to do what He alone can do, all He requires of us is that we show up at the bus stop and get on board for the destination of a lifetime. To worship Him and hold Him up in a place of prominence is to never be disillusioned by subsequent failure on His part to answer a call for help. It is His passion, desire, and ability to carry us all the way to the end of a fulfilled and gratified life in Him. How is it that any other god could take His place in the heart, or His place in time devoted to worshiping Him? Stepping off the bus at a worldly god stop only disables Him from transporting us to the place of gratified promise in Him.
Given the opportunity to be carried about by the Creator of all things, why waste time and effort on the things that will just perish and burn up with the passing of time and the onset of age. Unless those other passions include Him, they will only serve to divert from focus on the only One who will answer the call in the time of trouble. He’s at the stop right now- good time to say goodbye to those demanding loser gods and get on.
Isaiah 46:3-4 CEV
(3) You survivors in Israel, listen to me, the LORD. Since the day you were born, I have carried you along.
(4) I will still be the same when you are old and gray, and I will take care of you. I created you. I will carry you and always keep you safe.
