In the late 1980’s the phrase “Help, I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” became famous based on TV commercials. These commercials were for elderly people who lived alone and needed a “lifeline” in case they fell while they were home, and no one was thereto help pick them up. Smart idea.
Does that phrase apply to your god?
1 Samuel 5:1-4 – When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. (ESV)
Notice the scene. The Philistines felt like they were on top of the world. They captured the ark and brought it into their camp. Obviously, they were not paying any more respect to God than they did their idols because they stuck the ark in the house of Dagon. Dagon was a false god of the Philistines. In this culture, it was common practice for victors to take the idols of the enemy away to claim as their own property. This was a way of showing they completely defeated the enemy.
Imagine being one of these proud Philistines walking into the house of Dagon the next day to get a glimpse of your new trophy (the ark of God) only to find your god fallen to the ground. What would you do? Surely you would realize that this “god” is certainly no “God”, and you would seek the one true God. This is not what happened. The people “put him [Dagon} back in his place”. The next day, they arrived to find the same scene, only this time, Dagon was broken.
This seems silly, comical even. How could someone “prop up” their god and still continue to believe in him?
Probably very similar to:
- Spending years working on your financial portfolio knowing that when you hit “that number” you will have peace in your life. You achieve that number, yet still have a void, so you raise the number and try again.
- Assuring ourselves that everything will be better once we climb a little higher up the job ladder. The last promotion didn’t really help, but maybe the next one will.
- Bouncing from relationship to relationship knowing the next one will be the one that makes everything “right”.
- Turning to that vice (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, etc.) because we need to feel good. I know it didn’t last long last time, but maybe this time will be different.
Does this hit closer to home? Far too many times we are guilty of “propping up our god.” This brings no relief to the pain of the void that is still present. As Christians, our solution to life should be turning our lives over to the one, true God, who never falls.
Hebrews 6:19-20– We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)
–Ashley Hudson @ http://start2finish.org