Who You Gonna Call?

Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago. [Isaiah 22.11]

In Isaiah's message about Jerusalem in Isaiah 22, he points out that in their time of trial, they would do every possible thing they could to preserve themselves. But the second part of verse 11 reveals the most important thing they could possibly do but would not: ask for God's help.

Does that "nail us" today or what? 

I am reminded of the theme song in a popular spoof movie: "Who you gonna call...?"

If we spent half as much time seeking God as we do laboring to preserve ourselves, what would the outcome be?

What if we spent all out time seeking God's help completely ignoring our self-preservation tendencies?

I know logic and practical sense say we should do what we can to preserve ourselves. However, the Bible in no way supports this. Instead, God's followers are to trust Him alone for their preservation and well-being. Do we not realize that God defines Himself in terms that cover every aspect of our lives?

Just off the top of my head, the Bible declares God is our righteousness, our sanctifier, and our peace. It says He is there. He is our healer, provider, shepherd and banner. The Word is clear that God is our forgiver, advocate, refuge and strength. He defends us and protects us while He is our fortress and our shield.

Any resource we turn to for any of the abovementioned God-benefits is inadvertently elevated to a status of trust God reserves only for Himself:

“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. [Exodus 20.3-5]

The more man has progressed in knowledge, technology, and science, the less man has genuinely relied on God. Religious people still "claim" with their mouth God is their "everything" but their actions say otherwise. The result of this is evident in nearly every aspect of life today: when someone has "symptoms" we ask, "Have you been to the doctor?" or "What are you taking?" We have insurance for everything imaginable and just about any question we could need an answer for is Google-able. 

Why, if God is our "everything" do we seek Him last (if at all) after everything else has failed? The answer to this question is damning, so most never ask it!

Father, forgive me for my reliance on things that have become gods on earth... Forgive me for not insulating myself from the tendency to trust false gods. Forgive me for not looking ONLY to You for my everything!