Who Is Your Maker?

[S] Hosea 8:14 --
¹⁴For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;
And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,
But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

[O] Both Israel and Judah relied totally on their own strengths and skills forgetting the Provider Himself. They were so mesmerized by their own powerful achievements they were excitingly bulding out the palaces and fortified cities as their goals in life. Isn't this a familiar scene around the Silicon Valley? We live lives as to build bigger and more "palaces." Especially in this area, the last part of the sentence after "but" may come true in a form of an earth quake where all these palaces can be crumbled down to nothing. God has the power to do that and He will according to this verse when we forget about our true Maker and pursue things in life by our own will and standards.

[A] Just this past week, we were invited by a deacon at our church to their home and by the way they lived -- purposefully dedicated to serve in God's ministry through the church first -- I was quite blessed. This family indeed recognized fully who the Maker was in their lives. I would like to make sure I retain such purpose in my life.

[P] Dear God, truly give You all the honor for providing me all I have and will have in my and my family's lives. Instead of trying to build palaces of my own, I want to build the eternal places in heavenly palace which you promised to prepare for me (John 14:2-3). In Jesus' name. Amen.