Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.
“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:1-4
Lately, I have fallen into some bad habits. I'm spending too much time on my phone and too much time watching TV. Now, I am not watching anything particularly sinful, but the effect it has had on my spiritual life has been devastating, nonetheless. I get stressed, so I consume more entertainment to "unwind." It never fully recharges me like I think it will, so I have to stay up later to watch more TV and scroll further on social media. This causes me to go to bed later. Which means I don't get up and have a quiet time in the morning. Since I haven't spent time with the Lord, I am far more easily stressed and overwhelmed the next day. My problems seem so much bigger when I haven't recently been reminded of how big God is. So, I come home the next night stressed, and I turn once again to entertainment to recharge my batteries. And the cycle repeats.
I am like a castaway at sea, drinking saltwater to quench my thirst. It sounds like a good idea in the moment, but in the end it only makes my situation more desperate and myself thirstier.
God speaks to a similar situation in Isaiah 46. He calls two of the primary Babylonian gods, Bel and Nebo, by name. These were false gods, idols, that men looked to for deliverance. God points out just how useless and utterly unable to deliver anyone these idols are. They are so far from delivering anyone in fact, that they are a burden! They have to be moved from one place to another by beasts of burden. They are unable to help themselves, unable to move on their own. Why would anyone look to them for deliverance?!
In sharp contrast to these false gods, is the one true God. He doesn't need His people to carry Him. No! God carries His people. He isn't a burden to them. He has been carrying them since their birth, like a good father, and He will continue to sustain and carry His people.
When you compare God to the false idols that men look to for deliverance there really is no comparison. God can carry you and deliver you and idols only weigh you down and make matters worse!
Is there something or someone in your life that you are looking to for deliverance but is actually only weighing you down? If so, quit burdening yourself with extra problems! What little appearance of help these false idols give you is far outweighed by the trouble they cause you.
There is a better way! God has carried you since you were born. He says to you today, "I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Make sure you are turning to the right place...to the right Person for help, for deliverance, for rescue. Cast your burdens on Him (Matthew 11:28-30). Don't take up additional ones.
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