At CTV we believe that God speaks to us through the Bible. We hear from God better when we read and interact with his written word together. Below you will find the Bible reading for each week day, along with some initial comments from one of our facilitators. May God meet and shape us through this conversation! Visit us online @ ChurchInTheVineyard.org ~ Pastor Chip
This passage from Isaiah is a idol sandwich with good news bread. Here's what I mean: Verses 1-5 are about how the Lord will help you. Good news. At the end it talks about Restoration for Jerusalem and the fact that God will not forget Israel. Good news. The meat of the sandwich, however, is about the foolishness of idols. Today, we don't manufacture idols in the ways we read about in Isaiah 44. Very few, if any, of us have carved a block of wood in to a god to worship. We can take passages like this and say, "Well I wouldn't do that. That's ridiculous." and then miss the point completely. We may not do that, but we have our idols. Work, money, perfection, image, success, etc.
Here's what strikes me from this reading: If this passage starts off with good news about our relationship with God - that we are his chosen one (v. 2) and ends with complete restoration of all things, why do we even bother having idols? I think the author does this on purpose to make having idols seem like a terribly foolish idea.
Take some time and reflect on one or two things you have in your life that you would consider idols. Then read verses 1-5 and 21-28 again. How do those idols compare to what we are promised in God?
This passage from Isaiah is a idol sandwich with good news bread. Here's what I mean: Verses 1-5 are about how the Lord will help you. Good news. At the end it talks about Restoration for Jerusalem and the fact that God will not forget Israel. Good news. The meat of the sandwich, however, is about the foolishness of idols. Today, we don't manufacture idols in the ways we read about in Isaiah 44. Very few, if any, of us have carved a block of wood in to a god to worship. We can take passages like this and say, "Well I wouldn't do that. That's ridiculous." and then miss the point completely. We may not do that, but we have our idols. Work, money, perfection, image, success, etc.
ReplyDeleteHere's what strikes me from this reading: If this passage starts off with good news about our relationship with God - that we are his chosen one (v. 2) and ends with complete restoration of all things, why do we even bother having idols? I think the author does this on purpose to make having idols seem like a terribly foolish idea.
Take some time and reflect on one or two things you have in your life that you would consider idols. Then read verses 1-5 and 21-28 again. How do those idols compare to what we are promised in God?