‘But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.’ Psalm 115:4,8 (NIV).
In the time that the psalms were written people worshiped idols – statues of wood, stone or metal. They took pride and showed deep honor towards what they could see and had contempt for what they couldn’t see.
The Passion translation of Psalm 115:4-8 gives us a clearer picture regarding the futility of worshipping dead idols. ‘The unbelievers worship what they make – their wealth and their work. They idolize what they own and what they make with their hands, but their things can’t talk to them or answer their prayers.
Their possessions will never satisfy. Their futile faith in dead idols and dead works can never bring life or meaning to their souls. Blind men can only create blind things. Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts in these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship – powerless and dead.’
Those who trust in dead idols will become like them: dead to God and devoid of the life that is found in Him alone. Today our idols are rarely made of wood and stone, silver or gold. Though we may have idols that look different to the idols of Old Testament times, we still hold tightly to the things that we worship. Wealth, prosperity, work, pleasure and material possessions, like homes, cars and technology. In our affluent, twenty-first century lifestyle, the list is almost endless.
Prayer:
‘Dear Lord, I have become preoccupied with building my own earthly kingdom rather than your Heavenly kingdom. Forgive me. Show me how to seek first your kingdom here on earth and invest myself in what matters most of all. Thank you.’
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
AMEN!
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Final Thoughts:
Just like the people the psalmist wrote about, we still value tangible objects rather than intangible realities. Rather than taking pride in our materialism, Christ’s followers would do well to invest in the things we cannot see: spiritual growth, salvation, investing our time and finances in building God’s kingdom and spending time with others.
We ought to be about His work more than our own. Those who spend their time obtaining tangible objects are as foolish and empty as the idols themselves.
Be Greatly Blessed!
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