Isaiah 41

There seemed to be quite a bit of “propping things up” in this chapter.

First, humans trying to hold something up: “They help each other and say to their companions, ‘Be strong!’ The metalworker encourages the goldsmith, and the one who smooths with the hammer spurs on the one who strikes the anvil. One says of the welding, ‘It is good.’ The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.” (vs 6-7)

Second, God holding humans up: “I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (vs 9-10)

When I read that, it struck me that we really only have one of two options: either we will allow our God to uphold us, or we will spend our lives trying to prop up the gods we have made with our own hands. Notice that God’s hand alone is strong enough to hold us, yet our own hand is not steady enough to hold the idols we carve out. We must nail them down. We must always seek to make them more stable, for they are always in danger of toppling over.

Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that Isaiah was talking to people who actually made tangible idols. They created them, formed them, and then turned around and prayed to them. They asked the very thing they had made to save them. That’s sort of ridiculous! Yet I wonder how often we do the same exact thing with parts of our lives that aren’t so tangible.

How often do we rely on money to make us feel secure, or sex to make us feel wanted, or alcohol to comfort our hurt? How often do we turn to things that, intellectually, we know have no power to save or help us? And how often, when all those things fail to satisfy, do we find ourselves search for yet another “nail” to keep our idol from falling over?

Isn’t it time to let your idols come toppling down? You can stop trying to hold up your gods and, instead, let your God hold you up. That’s what He’s been waiting for. He says, I choose you. I don’t reject you. I don’t want you to be afraid. I am with you. I don’t want you to be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. And I will hold you up with My own hand.