God gave the people a clear command not to create any images to worship, but they disobeyed and made representations of God based on their own ideas. A study on “Imaginary Friends” shows that children, particularly those without siblings, often develop a personified character to talk to. The study also suggests that when parents argue, children may turn to their imaginary friends, reflecting on their family’s future. Though they express their feelings, they don’t receive any concrete answers.
In a similar way, when people struggle to connect with the Sovereign God for various reasons, they may create their own gods—not always physical idols, but often concepts that fit within their personal comfort zones. For instance, many people mistakenly believe that a quilt generates heat to keep them warm. In reality, the warmth comes from the body, which is circulated within the quilt. This is why elderly people often complain that their quilt isn’t keeping them warm, unaware that their bodies are not producing enough heat. Likewise, conceptual gods offer comfort only within the limits of our imagination, not beyond it. Religions can sometimes reinforce these ideas of imagined gods.
Believing the Existence of God
The scripture tells us to believe in God, and the question is what type of God does exist in the mind of people. Obviously People will believe in the existence of God according to their mind set and it is beyond imagination for any one to conceive an idea of a real and true God because the space is filled with the concepts of religion, gurus and gods.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
Everyone places faith in their gods, but the question is whether that faith pleases their gods or if they receive rewards for earnestly seeking them. Conceptual gods seem reliable when life is going well and within the limits of one’s comfort zone. However, when sudden illness or loss occurs, people often find it difficult to receive answers or solutions from their conceptual gods. These gods are limited by the human mind that created them.
A quilt helps retain heat as long as our bodies can produce warmth. However, when we become weak and can no longer generate heat, the quilt seems ineffective, and we seek other means to stay warm. Similarly, our imagined gods cannot love us when our own love fades. It is in such moments that people can recognize the love of our Heavenly Father, who gave His only Son to die for our sins.
This is why many turn to the true God, abandoning their imaginary gods, as they discover solace and answers only in the true God. While everything is going well, people attribute their success to their man-made gods, but when adversity strikes, they often shift blame to the true God. In doing so, they recognize that it was His grace that sustained them all along.
In the Old Testament, God would sometimes allow His people to be punished or delivered into the hands of their enemies to bring them back to Him (Isaiah 37:29). Based on these events, some believe that God sends sickness and hardship to draw people closer to Him, but this is a misunderstanding, particularly after Christ atoned for our sins. The real issue is that people often neglect to rely on God during prosperous times and only recognize the emptiness in their lives when they face difficulties, which leads them to seek the true and living God—not one made by human hands.
God humbles believers to help them understand the power of His Word (Deuteronomy 8:3, NIV), but He extends even greater grace to those who do not yet know Him. While He disciplines His people, He patiently waits for the wicked to turn their hearts toward Him.
Ever Increasing Grace of God
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. – Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)
The grace of God is ever-growing, and He never withdraws it from His people. After Jesus’ resurrection, that same grace offered salvation to all humanity. Even when people sin without knowing the truth, God’s grace increases even more. Those who do not know the true and living God cannot comprehend or claim the healing found through His stripes. Yet, God’s abundant grace provides treatment through medicine, sustaining people in their sickness. This extended life offers them the opportunity to seek the true God and ultimately receive salvation.
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:20-21 (NIV)
Many people encounter God not through their spirit but through their physical senses, attempting to shape God’s image with their own hands, a product of their body. As a result, they fail to recognize the ever-increasing grace of God, despite numerous encounters and experiences. Lacking an understanding of spiritual realities, Nicodemus was confused, wondering how he could re-enter his mother’s womb to be born again. It is God’s grace that opens people’s eyes to realize that their own concepts cannot provide them with a true spiritual experience.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” – John 3:3-4 (NIV)
Recalling the Spiritual Experience
Yet Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:20-22 (NIV)
God gave Abraham a son when his body was as good as dead. This kind of initial encounter with God happens in everyone’s life, but people rarely recall it, instead cling to their own ideas. It is important to recognize that, regardless of religion, God offers this spiritual experience to everyone because He is the Creator, the one true God. If He does not provide such experiences, then who else could?
Then, unexpectedly, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only beloved son. Surprisingly, Abraham did not question why God gave him Isaac only to ask for his life in return. Abraham obeyed, and when Isaac inquired about the lamb for the offering, Abraham confidently replied that God would provide (Genesis 22:8). Abraham must have reflected on the fact that Isaac was a gift from God, and recalled God’s promise to bless him through Isaac. He trusted that God would not break His promises and believed that even if he sacrificed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead to fulfil His word.
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. – Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV)
We must always remember what God has done in our lives and remind ourselves of His faithfulness often. This will help us stand firm in our faith during difficult times. When it feels like we may lose someone dear to us, instead of questioning why God gave them to us, we should trust that the same God who gave them is able to sustain them through His life-giving power. Trusting in God allows us to fully rely on Him and offer Him praise even in the midst of hardship. Our praises reflect our faith, demonstrating that we believe in His existence and understand that He rewards those who love Him with all their hearts. Conceptual gods cannot love us, but the Living God loves us despite our flaws.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Our love for God is not something we initiate; it is a response to the love He has already shown us (1 John 4:19). Human love is reciprocal by nature. If the self-made ideas we cling to do not express love toward us, how can we respond in kind? With this in mind, we should let go of any concepts that block our connection with the true God.
The Jordan Valley 
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