God spoke through Isaiah and reminded the Hebrew people of the many times He cared for them.
Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from your birth,
carried from the womb;
Even to your old age I am he;
even when you turn gray I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Have you ever stepped back and tried to remember all the stepping stones that were a part of making you who you are today? Of course, the older you are, the more stepping stones you have to contemplate.
Here is an exercise for us today. Let’s think of different categories of ways that God has carried us from the cradle to the present.
- Reflect on times when by the grace of God you escaped serious injury or death.
- Thank God for when He delivered you from sin and rebellion that may have seriously harmed you and the people you love.
- Look back on different paths that God led you to take, sometimes not being aware of His leadership, that brought you to this place in life.
- Recall one prayer that God answered and once again tell Him, “Thank you.”
These categories are just suggestive. Try thinking of other stepping stones that reveal God’s love and care for you.
The Idols We Carry
In his commentary on Isaiah, John Oswalt observes that the people wanted “God and the gods.” I doubt if I will ever forget that statement, because it summarizes the problem of idolatry both then and now.
Isaiah’s audience never stopped worshiping Yahweh, but they added the Canaanite gods of Baal, Asherah, and more to the mix. God spoke through His prophet and made three important points about idolatry.
To whom will you liken me and make me equal
and compare me, as though we were alike?
Those who lavish gold from the purse
and weigh out silver in the scales—
they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god;
then they fall down and worship!
They lift it to their shoulders; they carry it;
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
it cannot move from its place.
If one cries out to it, it does not answer
or save anyone from trouble. (Isaiah 46:5-7)
There is no comparison between idols and God. Even though some idols are beautifully constructed, they are nonetheless the creation of a human. By contrast, God is the Creator of the universe.
If you thought about the above exercise I suggested, you will recall many instances where God carried you to safety or to a correct path in life. On the other hand, idols have to be transported in some way or another.
The Bible and history alike are filled with examples of people trusting idols to no avail. God, however, is interested in our lives and can be approached in prayer.
Try praying to a dollar bill and you will be disappointed. Multitudes of people have talked to God about their needs and found Him to faithfully supply them.
God’s Invitation
When I was a college student, I listened to a broadcast on AM radio from Chicago. A speaker with a melodious voice from the Moody Bible Institute delivered one of the most inviting messages I have ever heard.
He often reminded his audience that “God is a gentleman and won’t kick down the door to your heart.”
We can count on the fact that God carried us before we recognized His presence. There comes a time when we need to consciously ask Him to carry us.
During the Last Supper, Jesus and Peter had this interaction. Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet and He came to Peter.
Peter said, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (John 13:6-9)
It seemed to injure Peter’s pride to have Jesus wash his feet. In the same way, we may be offended to think that we need Jesus to carry us through the various trials, decisions, and temptations of life.
Jesus doesn’t kick down the door to our hearts, but He tells us that we need to surrender our pride and allow Him to carry us. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for Jesus’ help in all things, just as Peter needed to allow Jesus to wash his feet.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 