man-made vs God!

This past week I was reading Isaiah 46 where I was greatly reminded about the greatness of God over any man-made idol. Check out what I saw...

Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground.
They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

*"carrying" God around with you will never be heavy.  You will not stagger under His weight.  In fact He tells us that His burden is easy and light.  Matthew 11:30!

Both the idols and their owners are bowed down.
The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods.
They go off into captivity together.

*following God promises protection.  He says over and over again in scripture that He will take care of you, you do not have to be afraid. Psalm 18:2!  AND He promises freedom to those who trust in Him and allow Him to be their God. Galatians 5:1! 

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel.
I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.

*He knows everything about us, from when we were being formed in our mother's womb. Psalm 139! Idols know nothing about you!

I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you.

*Idols can do nothing to care for you.  Deuteronomy 31:6!

“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?
Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it.
Then they bow down and worship it!

*Idols we have to create ourselves, give them some kind of value and name in our lives.  God is God without anything from us or anything we have ever done!  He is eternal!  The gold and silver will fade away, but God is never changing! Romans 1:20!

They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there.
It can’t even move!

*I just love this picture.  You set the idol down and it can't move.  You want it to go somewhere else, you have to pick it up and move it.  But God... always there, everywhere!

And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.
It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.

*God hears us when we pray.  Psalm 34:6!

Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.


*And I love how the verses end.  There is no one like God.  And how great it is to remember all that He has done!

This psalm was such a good reminder for me to be aware of where I am tempted to put things before God.  Nothing can compare to Him.  And nothing is like Him.  And so when I am looking to others or to things to take His place, to meet some need, to get help.  I will be disappointed.  And I need to make sure I am going to the source of all good, of love, of joy, of justice... FIRST for everything!  So thankful that God is who He is!

(A little note:  I am not saying that people can not meet needs that we have.  I absolutely believe that God uses people in our lives.  But they can not be put before Him!)

*picture from a google search