The gods of men are falling is the title of the poem below. Rhoda Griffin, a wife, and mother of five children in British Columbia, Canada penned these words on March 21, 2020 against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anything that dominates my life and comes between me and my Creator God is an idol or a god with a small g. All too often we get so focused on something we really enjoy or want for ourselves that we neglect God. He fades from our view and is replaced by whatever has the magnetic pull on us.

It may not only be God we sacrifice in our pursuit of that which captivates us. It could be our family that is displaced by something we have fallen in love with.

It is not uncommon to hear people say: “She lives for golf.” or “Parties are his life.”

Self-Disclosure Time

The poem you are about to read is applicable not just to people of faith or to Christians. We can all relate to having our priorities distorted and skewed – losing sight of what really is important. So often, we are totally consumed by the here and now that we fail to see the bigger picture of the future. The temporary and passing world obscures the eternal.

Many of our pursuits and pleasures are completely legitimate and not evil – in and of themselves. But when they displace God Himself, they become idols in our lives – gods with a small g.

First on the list of the iconic Ten Commandments found in the Holy Bible is this one:

You shall have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

Jesus said the greatest commandment was this:

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30

Deeper Thoughts about Life

We are seeing just now – how quickly what was critically important in our lives last month – has faded or has literally crumbled as we search for security and safety and for the real meaning of life.

Allow yourself to be introspective as you read the poem below. Read it intentionally with the openness of an inquiring mind.

Part A and Part B

We will all be able to relate to the first half of the poem. But as you move into the last half, ask yourself some questions:

• Do I worship God or something else in my life?
• Do I have a relationship with the eternal and transcendent God of the universe?
• Am I a believer in God and a follower of Jesus Christ?
• Does Part B describe me or rather – who I would like to be?
• Am I confident about my future – despite all that’s going on right now?
• Does the honour given to the only true God in the last half of the poem resonate in my own heart?

Surrounded by your own worries and fears about the impact of the coronavirus – do you have a deep spiritual peace, knowing you are secure in your personal relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ?

Real, genuine and authentic Christians have bowed their hearts before the only living and true God, repenting of their sins and have by faith, personally and consciously, embraced Christ as their Saviour.

You can read the poem yourself or have it read to you. Whichever way you choose – may we all hear the Lord in our hearts today. The text of the poem is below the video version.

The gods of men are falling
(Rhoda Griffin, March 21, 2020)

The gods of men are falling
They’re crashing to the ground
And with the endless tumbling
Men’s lives and dreams are drowned

The gods of men are falling
The house is coming down
We stagger with the pressure
And silence is our sound

The gods of men are falling
The god of health goes first
We’ve worshipped at this altar
Where many find their worth

One touch of blackened illness
Has brought us to our knees
No one is exempted
Indiscriminate disease

The gods of men are falling
The god of sports is gone
Entertainment’s vanished
Pop culture’s lost its song

Hollywood is emptied out
Each resident has fled
The god of movies cannot save
We plead to God instead

The gods of men are falling
The god of leisure’s next
Cruising ships sit vacant
The travel world is vexed

Planes sit grounded from the air
Dream holidays are dashed
We cry over our losses
It happened all so fast

The gods of men are falling
The god of wealth stripped whole
The stocks, they spiral downward
It’s way out of control

Our lover, wealth, abandons
He’s taken wings of flight
Grinding business to a halt
It’s happened overnight

The gods of men are falling
We worshipped them with heart
We gave our souls to their embrace
We served them all in part

We placed our hopes upon them
Entrusted them our soul
We set them up as idols
We followers untold

But…

These gods of men are falling
Empty at their core
Within a day they make their grave
Destroy us by the score

We looked to them for mercy
The love our hearts longed for
But they could never save us
False idols, as they are

And now we see the fallout
Of trusting emptiness
These gods would never save us
They’re lacking every strength

The gods of men are falling
They fall before I AM
The only true, eternal God
Who was, is, and to come

They bow before His greatness
Who makes the sun to rise
The One who made the earth and seas
The One who rules the skies

They bow the knee before Him
On their faces fall before
The One who with a Word commands
The One who rules it all

The gods of men are falling
We’ve peeled their layers back
Seen them for what they really are
And all the power they lack

The true God, He is standing
Where the gods of men fall flat
He has been our Saviour
And He is coming back

When all has crashed around us
The house of cards is gone
God will still be for us
God and God alone

This world is just a passage
A temporary home
One day we’ll live in heaven
And worship at God’s throne

No sin disease may enter
No contaminant allowed
No, nothing that’s destructive
Will be part of that crowd

So take heart, dear believer
And when you look around
Don’t be fearful when you see
gods falling to the ground

They were never meant to save you
Or be worshipped or be served
By a child of God like you and me
As though heaven’s here on earth

You’re a child of the Mighty One
Who still sits on the throne
And while the world unravels
You won’t ever be alone

Our great and Sovereign God
Who never slumbers, never sleeps
He it is Who stands beside you
He it is Who your soul keeps

So let the gods take tumble
To reveal the Lord our God
Who is great in all His power
Who is Faithful to His Word

Who is loving, kind, compassionate
The Saviour of our soul
Who surpasses any idol
Who amounts to more than gold

Our everlasting Father
Prince of Peace, the Mighty God
Wonderful our Counsellor
Who is the Word of God

He will never, never crumble
He will never, never fall
Our past, present, and future
He is God over it all!