There are many things that seem ridiculous when you think about them – that is how comedians make their money. We see some of these in 1 Samuel 5-6
when the ark is in the land of the Philistines. The Philistine god Dagon falls down before the ark of the LORD, and their ‘god’ needs people pick him up again. Then he falls again and his head and hands break off. Instead of thinking this ‘god’ isn’t much good, they start a new superstition by avoiding the place where the broken hands fell! It seems obvious to us that any god who can’t stand up can’t be much of a God; in contrast, the LORD acts with a vengeance, destroying crops, bringing a plague, and cannot be stopped.
Although this seems funny to us, we can do the same thing. We spend our lives worshipping ‘gods’ like Family and Money, which promise to fulfill us and give us happiness and security. The LORD is the only one who can give those things yet we look everywhere else trying find meaning in life.
Let’s remember who our God really is: the majestic all-powerful God who really is there, the one to be respected and honoured. Don’t get fooled by poor imitations!
(Based on ANPC Sunday teaching, 11 July 2010).