What Do You Fear/Trust?

“Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me? Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you. Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.” [Isaiah 57.11-13]

Yesterday, I discussed how fear and trust (faith) are, in essence, the same thing. To fear idols is to believe they have power over us. To fear God is to believe He has power over us.

In this passage from Isaiah 57, God is clearly pointing out what I just said above. He basically asks, "Does your fear of idols cause you to no longer fear me?" Again, consider the word trust anywhere you see fear... "Does your trust in idols cause you to no longer trust me?"

God goes on in the passage of today's post to challenge us to compare our trust in idols versus our trust in Him : "Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help." So, we can easily see what we fear/trust in by the results of that fear/trust.

Reflecting on previous day's posts, I get the idea today that God is saying "Compare the benefits of your idols to the benefits I promise." In other words, "Do your idols give real benefits?" We will be hard-pressed to answer this question with honesty, especially if we have a religious frame of mind. Honesty will force us to say that our insurance has saved us from loss. Honesty will force us to admit that our medicine has given us relief and perhaps even sustained our lives. Honesty will force us to concur that science and technology have made our lives better.

Oh sure, "God made it all possible," right? Yeah, let's throw God a bone - kudos to God!

If I understand only one thing about God, it is that He, by His own declaration, is a JEALOUS GOD. Consequently, that is exactly why His Ten Commandments start off like this:

Then God gave the people all these instructions: “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.1-6]

In fact, we should remember God's specific wording about "sharing." He makes no apology for His jealousy:

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols. [Isaiah 42.8]

I will rescue you for my sake— yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols! [Isaiah 48.11]

If God is so specific regarding sharing His glory with anything else, should we not take heed? Would we not do well to even go to extremes to insure that we give glory only to God? Should we not make every effort to live our lives in such a way that they point ONLY to God as our Righteousness, Sanctifier, Peace, He is There, Healer, Provider, Shepherd, Banner, Forgiver, Advocate, Refuge, Strength, Defender, Protector, Fortress, and Shield (all descriptions of God in the Bible - most are self-descriptions)?

Remember that Abraham, when offered reward from the King of Sodom for rescuing them from Kedorlaomer and all his allies, said:

Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ [Genesis 14.22-23]

Oh, but giving God glory for everything would make us fanatics, wouldn't it? Yeah, like Abraham, the father of faith...

What do you fear/trust?

Father, I want to be found fearing/trusting ONLY YOU even if it makes me a fanatic.