Reflection: Idols are a rare sight in Muslim countries, but where I grew up, there were gold jewellers in the dark bazaar backstreets. These skilled artisans were burning, pounding and fashioning fancy ornaments like in this passage.

Hmmm…So, you would compare your glorious God to some ridiculous object…fancy with gold and silver? (Or maybe you’re too poor to own the fancy kind, so you choose a really ‘sturdy’ piece of wood instead. And you look for a skilled artisan who can craft you an ‘immortal’ image.)

Yeah. Right. THAT will last forever–NOT!

We’re being challenged to ask, What will gloriously last…forever?

We’ve seen some pretty ancient land masses. Some epic trees. Some jaw-droppingly old art and architecture. Pooof!

Or, we’re pretty good at idolizing our own images. But, like withering grass and fading flower–we’re soon grey, wrinkled and forgetful. Pooof! No thing compares to our sure God who lasts forever.

Ponder or write out your own epitaph today. It’s a good indicator of what you most value.

Prayer: Forgive us for being sucked into surrogate gods of our own fashioning, even idolizing our own selves. Forever-God, reorientate our worship to you.