In The Word
Read: Psalm 115
Heathen Idols Contrasted with the Lord.
115 Not to us, Lord, not to us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.
2 Why should the nations say,
“Where, then, is their God?”
3 But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
6 They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;
7 They have hands, but they cannot feel;
They have feet, but they cannot walk;
They cannot make a sound with their throat.
8 Those who make them will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them.
9 Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
The small together with the great.
14 May the Lord increase you,
You and your children.
15 May you be blessed of the Lord,
Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
But the earth He has given to the sons of mankind.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;
18 But as for us, we will bless the Lord
From this time and forever.
Praise the Lord!
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
When God delivered Israel from Egypt, even dividing the Red Sea to make it happen, it didn’t take long for the Israelites to carve their own idol, their own god. They made something they could see and feel, something they could relate to. They had no comprehension of a Heavenly Father. In their case, they created a golden calf, reminding them of the great things about Egypt. In Psalm 115, their idols were made of precious materials, silver and gold, too. They had mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands, and feet. The only problem was that they couldn’t speak, see, hear, smell, touch, or walk. The psalmist said, “Those who make them will become like them” (Psalm 115: 8).
You may ask how this can be. How could they trade the loving-kindness of a Heavenly Father for the deadness of a man-made idol? We do it today! Instead of trusting in God, we trust in the all mighty dollar, our spouse, even our children can become idols. Our television shows today speak of “American Idols.” Anything that replaces our relationship with our Heavenly Father is an idol, it doesn’t need to be a golden calf!
Our Heavenly Father is the giver of blessings. He is your help and shield; He will bless you (Psalm 115:12). Do you put your trust in God or in something else? Think about it: do you know of something that you have placed above God, trust in more than God? Our relationship should be with our Heavenly Father; He is the giver of blessings!