all who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. [isaiah 44:9]
there are many things we could chase after and do chase after in this world. we chase after wealth because the world around us is wealthy and it seems to make them happy. we chase after the affirmation of man because we see people around us in our families, our workplace, and even in our church getting approval for the things they do, and it seems to make them happy. we chase after success because successful people around us seem to be happy. we chase after the love of a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse because we see our friends and neighbors in relationships that seem to make them happy.
but the bible says that all of this is vanity. a striving after wind. [ecclesiastes 2:11] we can work and work to find something that will fulfill us, but as this verse in isaiah says, if we are working for anything less than God himself, we are nothing. we will not profit. we waste our time and efforts, because nothing else will last. it will only bring us shame, because we have been a fool.
c.t. studd, a british missionary sums it up in a poem with this refrain.
only one life, ’twill soon be past,
only what’s done for Christ will last.
if you have spent your life striving after vain things, looking for joy and peace in all the wrong places, let today be the day that you turn to Christ for satisfaction. let today be today that he sets you free from striving! look to him, trust him, worship him, he will keep you for all of eternity!
if you have already placed your trust in Christ and have tasted and seen the goodness of God in the blood of Christ, what things are still striving after? what shiny things of the world still catch your eye and draw your heart away from true and full satisfaction in your Savior? put it away and fill yourself up with his love! find him in his word, meet him alone, on the floor in your closet, away from distraction, and cry out to him in repentance, returning to the joy of his salvation. he longs to fill you with good things.
if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [colossians 3:1-3]
there is only one, true God, and he is good, pure, and holy. he is worthy of all our worship, and he is waiting to share his joy with those who would come to him. so come to him and be free!
~arwen eastman