“Bell bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are on beasts and cattle; these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary animals. They stoop, they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. Listen 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; even to your old age I am he, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, as though we were alike? Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales – they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries out to it, it does not answer or save anyone from trouble. Remember this and consider, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My purpose shall stand and I will fulfill my intention,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man for my purpose from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring to to pass; I have planned, and I will do it. Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from deliverance; I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off, and my salvation will not tarry; I will put my salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” Isaiah 46:1-14)
“They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries out to it, it does not answer or save anyone.” Regardless of what your idol, your little g, god is made of, regardless of who makes it, it cannot move itself, it sits or stands in one place, it cannot respond with voice or thought, it cannot reach out and change anything, it cannot save! So why do I/you spend time worshiping that which cannot change the situation we find ourselves in? God laughs at our efforts to save ourselves, our lavish attempts to create the perfect god to put on a shelf, light candles around, burn incense on/in or around and cry out to – how futile! All while The Creator God, who lives and moves and breathes calls out to Creation and says, “I am here with you, won’t you be with me?” He lives to save; he desires to save completely. Why do we attempt to create our own savior? How will I respond? How will you respond? To whom will we respond powerless idols made by human hands/minds or Creator God who alone is God, who alone brings salvation?