The Builder

            For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God (Heb 3:4).

In my recent travels to the city of Chicago, I had the opportunity to go on a tour of the well-known buildings in downtown. It is hard not to be impressed when standing dwarfed before the Willis Tower, the second tallest currently in the United States. The Marina City and the Aqua buildings, which have curved ledges giving them the respective appearances of corncobs and sand dunes, amused me greatly. They are works of art, but they are built with function in mind to accommodate thousands of people living and working in them each day. Just by looking at these feats of engineering, you can tell they were built to precise specifications from carefully drawn plans.

It is no wonder that since the time of the Tower of Babel, mankind has felt proud from building “a tower whose top is in the heavens” (Gen 11:4). These high-rise buildings made of brick, steel, and concrete look stalwart and permanent. They can elevate man’s confidence in his own abilities when seen as testaments of man’s ingenuity. However, we know that no matter how man plans, so-called skyscrapers will never be able to reach the ends of the sky. Forces of nature beyond man’s control, such as earthquakes or tornados, can easily level these buildings. Over time, the most durable materials will crumble and rust. Man’s creations remain standing only because God allows them to.

If we look at an inanimate building and know it must have a builder, how much more so what is infinitely more complex – that which is living and breathing! We can see the marks of God, who alone holds life in His hands, in the endless varieties of plants and animals in the world (cf. Rom 1:20). And humans – including you and me! – are His masterpieces. The One truly worthy of admiration is He who enables man with the creativity and logic to invent and build.

When we look at all the things around us with the knowledge that it was brought forth by the hand of a masterful and loving Builder, we will see with a different perspective. From concept to design to execution, the Master Builder is unparalleled and is deserving of our awe and gratitude.

Questions for Reflection

1.      When you look at all the things around you, do you give God the credit or man?

2.      Take a break today to take a brief walk. Notice each thing that comes into sight, ponder about how each comes from God, and give Him your thanks.