We would surely never make an idol of clay, wood or metal
but in the end what is idolmaking except an exercise in reductionism? Isaiah isn't necessarily accusing them of
making an idol for their house and to worship, he is reminding them that
sometimes theology gives us a diminished god instead of the real thing. We can systematize and we can make doctrinal
statements about God and forget that there would be nothing if it were not for
Him. Our field of vision can get so
narrow, today's problems can so overwhelm us, that we lose sight of how big and
powerful God is. The universe is
something like 46 billion light years across and contains billions of
stars. The Nicene Creed begins, "We
believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth."
We sometimes need to step back and take in all that entails and allow
our concept of Him to be expanded and our concept of the current situation
diminished. In that way, He is back on
the throne and we and our problems are in better perspective.
Have you ever heard a voice from heaven? What a powerful moment when Jesus comes up
from the waters of baptism, the dove alights and remains and then the voice,
"You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." What is truly amazing is that at this point
Jesus had done nothing remarkable, at least not so we are told. He had, however, lived without sin, the most
remarkable thing anyone has ever done.
He had also then submitted to baptism, an act that was to symbolize
repentance for sin, and Jesus was guilty of no sin. He did this in order to fully identify with
sinners. He had certainly faced
temptations as He grew to become a man and yet here after the proclamation was
He particularly vulnerable to temptation?
Often, such times are when we are most vulnerable to some form of
temptation. We are tempted to presume on
that love or to believe we have done something worthy of love. We have diminished God by exalting self and
then we are tempted.
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places, chosen by God before the foundation of the world was laid. We, who are as nothing at all in the
universe, are so important to the creator of the universe that He thought of us
prior to creation of it all. That isn't
just a nice little truth to know, He came into creation, into time and space,
and became like us because He loves us so and wants us to live forever in His
presence. In the end, all things will be
united in Him. If God thinks so much of
you that He was willing to die for you, what does that mean about your
life? Are you ready to live for Him?
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