Isaiah 46:1 “Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.”
At the Grand Canyon, you will see pack mules carrying people and packages up and down the long, rough, rugged switchbacks. I think of those mules when I read Isaiah 46:1, which speaks of Babylon packing out their gods by carriage when they were invaded. I don’t know how much an idol would have weighed, but I can imagine they were heavy if they were made of stone or wood. And these critters were the ones laboring to carry the gods out of a conquered city! The key phrase of this whole story is found in verse 2: “They are a burden. . . .”
The idols had hands but could not touch; they had feet but could not walk. So instead of the people’s gods carrying them, they were carrying their gods! Instead of being a blessing, their gods were a burden. How silly that this little god could not deliver himself, let alone the people who worshipped him, from being conquered by the Persians! A poor little donkey had to carry him out!
Contrast that with verse 3, which says, “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb.” God says, “I will carry you.” God is up to the task, even when you are a little heavier and have a little more white hair than when you were born (verse 4).
Who is doing the heavy lifting in your life today? God is the One who carries us. Has what you are trusting in become a burden? Living for God should not be a burden; if it is, take a look at who or what you are serving. Sometimes we can be serving, but our serving is self-serving. It is even possible to serve in a fine Christian ministry and not serve God–that is, you are burdened with the weight of ministry because you are serving self. Are you bearing the load instead of God bearing your load?
Our God will carry us, and serving Him is not a burden. I Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; . . .” Why should we do this? “For he careth for you.” God cares for you, and He carries you. In Isaiah 43:2 God says, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” God is the One who will carry you; we need not rely on ourselves. How wonderful!
Our relationship with God does require maintenance, but it does not require carrying Him around. Fellowship with God requires time, thought, and maintenance, but God does not require maintenance! Are you carrying around a god today, or is God carrying you? Who is doing the heavy lifting in your life?
Prayer Requests:
1. Services tonight in LaSalle, IL; Corinth, MS; and Williamsport, PA
2. West Branch Ladies on the Move Conference in Flagstaff, AZ tomorrow
3. Ranch evangelists preaching this weekend in Silver Spring, MD; Flagstaff, AZ; Franklin, TN; Ripley, TN; and Woodridge, IL