JUNE 21, Colossians 1:16

“Listen to this, Kent,” Douglas sat on the bed while his brother sat in front of their computer. “This magazine article is about a computer that can scan the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica in two seconds!”

Kent shook his head in amazement. “I bet the whole world will be run by computers ten years from now,” he said. A crack of lightning and boom of thunder brought Douglas up off the bed. “That was close!” he exclaimed.

“Oh no!” wailed Kent. “The computer’s down! There must have been a power surge, and I lost the whole program! How could that happen? We have a surge protector.”

“Yeah, but Dad said it could happen anyway, and he warned us not to use the computer when we were having a storm,” remembered Douglas. “Let’s hope it’s not wrecked!” They stared at each other in dismay. Douglas headed for the living room. “Dad,” he said, “that last big crack of lightning... uh... zapped the computer.”

Dad hurried to the boys’ bedroom and frowned at the blank screen. “These are sensitive machines,” Dad reminded them. “They’ve got to be protected.”

“And we were just talking about how they were going to run the world someday,” said Kent. He sounded disgusted.

“Computers are amazing, but they need people to make them useful and to keep them in working order,” said Dad. “They’re just man-made machines, so they’re imperfect. God created man to be a remarkable creature, but because man became flawed by sin, anything he produces is flawed too. As advanced as a computer is, it’s primitive compared to the mind of God.”

“Yeah. He created the minds that invented the computer, didn’t he?” said Douglas. “That’s right,” Dad said. “We can’t even begin to understand God’s wisdom and genius. Only He is perfect.” He turned to leave. “We’ll take this to the shop tomorrow and see if it can be fixed.”

Thought: Are you so impressed with the great technical achievements of men that you begin to feel like you no longer need God? Remember that it is God who created man and gave him intelligence.

Prayer: As I look around nature, Heavenly Father, I see Your greatness. The stars, planets and beauty all around, I thank You. Help me never to think that man will ever come close to matching Your ability to create. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.