ARE YOU BOWED DOWN BY IDOLATRY?
God gave Isaiah a prophecy against Babylon and its idol worship. It is sarcastic in its imagery, predicting that Babylon’s idols will “bow” down as they are lowered onto ox carts and carried away by the very people who used to “bow” down before them. Even the oxen are “bowed-down” under the weight of pulling these massive, manmade gods. This illustrates the ridiculous nature of those who would make gods of their wealth and possessions. In the end, their wealth cannot protect them and they cannot preserve it. They both “go off into captivity together,” as if in a funeral procession with heads bowed down.
Are you bowed down by idolatry? If you have put your love and trust in money and possessions, you will soon find out. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
Bowing down to material things soon weighs us down. Yet, those who trust in the Lord are not weighed down, but lifted up by the Redeemer who can save to the uttermost!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess our tendency to put our trust in money and possessions. Forgive us. Help us to pull our affections off of the temporal things of this world and to put them on You. We no longer want to be bowed down by the weight of idols. We are weary and heavy laden, so we come to You for rest. Strengthen us to walk in the Spirit today, knowing Your joy and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.