Two Texans went to Minnesota one winter to do some ice fishing. After setting up their tent, they pulled the cord on their chain saw to cut a hole in the ice. Then they heard a mysterious voice from above saying, "There are no fish under the ice."
"Is that You, God?" they asked in awe.
"No," came the reply, "but I know that there are no fish under the ice. I'm the owner of this ice-skating rink."
People who worship gods other than the one true God resemble fishermen ice fishing in a skating rink. The idolaters of Isaiah's day worked hard at practicing their religion. They spent exorbitant sums of money overlaying their professionally carved idols with gold and crafting silver chains for them (Isa. 40:19-20). They bowed down and worshiped what they had constructed with their own hands (Ps. 115:4-7). Yet, there was nothing there. They appeared to be worshiping God, but their worship was as futile as fishing in an ice-skating rink.
Our great God can never be reduced to an image of man's own making. He is "the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth" (Isa. 40:28). And He wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). — Haddon W. Robinson
Their mouths can't speak, their eyes can't see,
Their ears can't hear us call;
The world's gods are powerless--
Our Lord rules over all. --Sper
How foolish to worship the creature rather than the Creator!