Where is your worship? Isaiah 44: 9-20

Where is your worship?  A word about idols.... and temptation.  Isaiah 44:9-20

by Patricia Ann

Surely, we have all been guilty of idol worship in some form during our lives.   After all, we live in a world full of distraction.  Pride gives way to selfish desires that feed idol worship. 

Greed also gives way to idol worship.  We have all probably heard of the almighty dollar!  Well, think about that one, being in total opposition to the one and only Almighty God who is our one source for everything we have need of.  

Many people idolize food and drink.  How many time have we heard the phrase "eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die."  Well, God will surely provide us with the food and drink we need and He tells us to not overindulge, consuming too much...being a glutton. 

Then, we of course, must look at entertainment as idol worship.  Movies and television shows, music, sports and gambling are all major distractions that can consume our thoughts and time.  Did you ever stop to really think about how many people are mesmerized by the actors and popular sports figures or even politicians? 

Many people have family members that they idolize, or their job is their idol.  

 And our Father in Heaven has always known that idol worship would be a temptation for His creation.  He warns us in His word about the dangers and consequences of idolatry.

These words are from Isaiah:  

All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.  He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. ...a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself. 

My prayer for today is that we take our focus off of our worldly desires and distractions and focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ.  May we desire to spend more time in God's word, sharing Who He Is  with everyone we meet, talking about His goodness and His love for us.  May we daily celebrate life and see His glory manifest everywhere we look because He is our main attraction.  May we seek the One who loves us the Most and love Him the most, too!   May we sing praises and worship our  Lord and Savior knowing that our true joy and peace and victory comes through our relationship with Himself... and not ourselves or other people or things or any other thing we would be tempted to idolize.  May we continually look forward to receiving His Glory moment by moment as our focus remains steadfast upon our Lord.

Praise God from whom all blessings come.   I Jesus' name. Amen

Isaiah 44:9-20

9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.

10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing?

11 People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame.

12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.

14 He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

15 It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.

16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”

18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”

20 Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”