THE ONE WHO MADE US (Isaiah 17)

Yes, the Day is coming when people will notice The One Who Made Them, take a long hard look at the Holy of Israel. They'll lost interest in all the stuff they've made. (Isaiah 17:7-8, MSG)

The idea is not unique to the Terminator franchise, but they spoke to the issue well. Humans fear that some day the things we have made will turn on us.

The irony is that humans in general treat the One who made us the same way. We rebel. We don't respect Him. We don't even admit He made us. We creep closer and closer to the miracle of procreation, with cloning and in vitro fertilization.

Unlike the Terminator machines who come close to exterminating the human race, we can never kill God. What we do is even worse--we ignore Him.

God could kill us with a single word--a thought. He doesn't have to tolerate our rebellion. He doesn't because He loves us.

But the day is coming when everyone will acknowledge the Creator God. They will bend their knees to His right to govern them. They will be judged. Those with Jesus as their Defense attorney join Him in glory; those without that defense, head to the lake of fire.

The One Who Made Us us also the Holy. As our parent, He has the responsibility of disciplining us. As the Holy, He has earned the right to judge our behavior. He not only is the Holy in heaven, where His lordship runs things. He is also the only perfect, holy man. With Jesus' death and resurrection, He bought our pardon.

For now we can squander our time on our toys, on what we've made. What exists at the top of your list? Right now, I suppose it's writing. I've "made" a growing list of books. It could be our children, a business we've grown, a hobby.

None of those things are wrong in and of themselves. But if they shine so brightly that they eclipse the Holy Creator, I'm blinded to the truth.

A long hard look--look long. Take your time. Study the tiniest details and open your mind to as much of the whole picture as you can grasp. Humans experience of God resembles the blind men with an elephant. One of them comments on the trunk, another the tusks, another the leathery legs, and so forth. But the more we look, the more we will see. Look hard--look at the things about God that you'd rather ignore--like His holiness.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full on His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace--Helen H. Lemmel