What does it really mean to worship something? The word comes from the same root as the word “worth.” So in its simplest form, whatever we value most highly, whatever we think is worth the most is what we worship.

So, what means the most to you? What would you pay the highest price in order to gain? Many people today desire power, the ability to control people and events. Others desire knowledge or wisdom in order to gain mastery over things like invisible viruses. Still others value money, thinking it will allow them to have everything else they want.

So, how do all those human desires stack up against God? Could the most powerful person who ever lived hold all the waters of all the oceans in his hand? God can (Isaiah 40:12). Only He has real power, the sort of power that could create everything that exists. No, all the power of all the people who ever lived is just a drop in a bucket compared to God’s unimaginable might (Isaiah 40:15-17).

And what is it that the wisest scientist is doing? Simply trying to think God’s thoughts after Him, to unravel the mysteries that God Himself wove into all creation, to be able to understand the different languages – physics, chemistry, DNA – with which God spoke the universe into existence. None of us could ever get to the point where we could improve on the masterful design of God’s creation (Isaiah 40:13-14).

And what about wealth? No, we may not plate statues with gold and silver like the ancients did (Isaiah 40:18-20), but we are no less impressed with the value of those metals, are we? But can any of our money do any more for us than those ancient statues could? Can any of the things we value change the course of events or allow us to know what will happen in the future (Isaiah 41:21-24)?

No, as long as we look to our power, our knowledge or our money to save us, events like the stock market crash of 2008 and the COVID-19 plague of 2020 will keep coming along to show us how foolish we are, and how weak are our gods. So, why not put our trust in the only One Who can truly bless us? Why not trust the only One Who can protect us even when we are in way over our heads, even when we feel like we are walking through the fire (Isaiah 43:1-7)?

But how do we know all that is true? Because God sent His Servant, the Lord Jesus. He is the One Who proved His power by opening the eyes of the blind (John chapter 9). And by the blood of His cross, He is the One Who has freed all who trust in Him from bondage to sin and death. Resting in His love, we need not fear – for He is with us (Isaiah 43:5).

Isaiah 42:5-9 (NASB)

5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk in it,
6 “I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon, And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.
9 “Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”