Day 52 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day fifty-two of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you want to see the readings for our trip through the Bible you can follow this link:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 52 Readings: Isaiah 41:19-52:12

Our readings today have God making a case between God and idols.

There is a contrast between the servant (whom in retrospect we understand to be Jesus) in 42:1-9 and the other choices which reflect a lack of sense (thought) and senses (observation) from God's people.

The text begins, in earnest, to juxtapose the Lord and idols. Idols are made out of wood and metals. Some might fix a meal over half a log of wood and fashion a "god" out of the other half. The "god" might need to be nailed down lest it topple. One might bring petitions to the "god" but it cannot hear through the non-functional form of its carved ears. One might bring offerings to the "god" but it cannot see through carved eyes or sense the aroma through its carved nostrils. The "god" is literally senseless. And thinking that such a carving could bring about change or hope or deliverance is rather senseless too.

God, in contrast, is the one who made all wood and all metals (and all else that you could ever find). God is not fashioned by us out of anything but rather fashioned us out of nothing. We don't bring meals to God but receive every morsel of food, every sip of drink and every other gift from the hand of a gracious God. God cannot be toppled but rather steadies our feet and keeps us from stumbling. We bring petitions to God, at God's request, and God hears and responds. Offerings of materials, and more importantly our lives, are received by God--not so much for God's need but rather our need to give. God is the most sensitive being there is and seeking after the ways of that God is the most sensible way to live.

God intervenes in our lives in a saving way because that is the nature of our loving God. Our missteps are not so large as to remove us from the grace and mercy of a God bent on relationship. We may, on occasion, flee God and seek idols. God, however, seeks us harder and longs to bring us back.


God, so many things of our own imagination and creation take your rightful place. We turn from you and give glory to idols. Please forgive us. Turn our hearts back to you. Amen.