“The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint” (Isa. 44:12).
This passage speaks volumes about the way most of us live. The bodies in which we live are more fragile than we recognize and can become easily depleted of energy if we don’t treat them with care.
In the summer months I do a lot of grass mowing and weed-trimming. There are potential hazards to the human body when operating a weed trimmer. Two small strips of hard plastic rotating at hundreds of miles per hour can cause serious damage to a person. Those small plastic cords can launch pieces of stock, sticks, rocks, dirt clods and other debris that fly wildly in every direction with the human eye often being the bulls-eye target causing the operator of a weed trimmer to dress in horrible fashion to protect one’s self. The armor in which some people dress to protect themselves from flying hazards of weed trimming makes them look goofier than a cross-eyed alligator with corrective eye glasses.
Another enemy of the trimmer operator is high temperatures and high humidity (H&H). The pair usually accompany me on trimming days. Just this past week was one of those days when H&H showed up. H&H knew I was under a lot of pressure to complete a mowing/trimming job that needed completion that very day. I didn’t have time to wait for better weather so I kept working until I started growing weak. Suddenly my energy left. The trimmer got heavy; I wanted to sit down and rest and badly needed some liquids for my body. It was telling me I had depleted the life-giving fluids and other energy suppliers that it needed if I was going to continue working. The minerals I needed for strength had been depleted from my body.
My goal for the day was to get the yard manicured before the weekend arrived making it presentable to passing spectators. I should have had enough wisdom to take a break and sip some refreshing ice-cold water or power drink to keep up my strength. But being in a hurry and neglecting priorities, I kept on working until I ran out…I hit empty.
The important question is; are you doing the same thing with your spiritual life? Has working excessive hours in order to achieve wealth, sacrificing important time with your family or becoming totally wrapped up in your hobbies depleted your spirit needs? Is your soul thirsty and hungry? Are you trading God’s refreshing satisfying love for idols that weaken you?
Do you need to take time to evaluate your spiritual life? Pull out your Bible, drop to your knees and ask God if you have put things before Him. Get a drink from the living waters of God everyday so that you don’t become weak. How do you accomplish that? Simply by reading the Word and praying to the heavenly Father who loves you.
God’s Word is the only way the human soul can satisfy itself when depleted of the life-giving elements it needs. Every idol has the ability to drain you of life itself. The more you focus on the idols, the more power it has over your life. As we pray acknowledging His limitless strength and uplifting authority, Truth will begin to expose the lies that grip your life. You may be forced to realize that your perception of God is something you have fabricated and that your perception is not a true one of God at all. You may see yourself as a conventional Christian, but if you believe your God is small…well that’s not the God I serve. Truth sets you free. One of the scariest truths may be that you’ve carved a god from your own image. If you’ve done that, it’s time to stop and take a break. Get filled with truth; it’s life to a depleted spirit.
