a god in human form.

a god in human form.

Michael Jackson.

What came to mind when you heard that name in:

1975?
1984?
1993?
2005?

I can imagine the words would shift dramatically from one date to the other.

A lot of recollecting has happened the last few days of what Michael was to the culture of our world. Many words have been tossed around describing him. Can I tell you one word I heard that cause me to feel very queazy?

god.

Small “g” of course but still, a word that in my opinion, should never be used to refer to any life form other than Jehovah.

The bad news – people have been trying to make humans gods for thousands of years. Caesar claimed to be the son of God and was thought so by many. Several recent characters have claimed to be god or Jesus in some way or another from David Koresh to Jim Jones to this man.

Even in the Bible, when Paul and Barnabas healed a man who was crippled in his feet from birth, the crowds declared Paul and Barnabas to be divine. They shouted: “The gods have come down to us in human form.” (Acts 14:11).

What is it about humanity? Why do we search for the divine amongst our own ranks?

I believe it is this simple. We are wired to worship someone. And if you aren’t worshipping God above, you’ll settle for a “god” below. It’s what I call a “good-enough” god. Something or someone who is just good enough for you to give yourself for. It could be any person, place or thing. You name it – there’s probably a group that worships it.

Michael Jackson for many years and for the last few days was a “good enough” god. Millions of people loved him, elevated him, worshipped and now mourn him with sincere tears of painful loss.

And his life was a mess. A victim of the worship of too many people. A symbol of what happens when you take a man and make him a god. Now he joins the ranks of long dead “icons” of culture who passed unexpectedly and are revered undeservingly.

What happens when you try to turn a human into a god? It destroys them and disillusions you.

Save your worship for the ONE who gave you the lungs to breath the air He made. Jesus declared, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him ONLY.” Luke 4:8.

I don’t know about you. I don’t know what or who you worship. I’m going to worship the One who died and rose again. The One Who is, Who was, and Who is to come!

Join me.

PT.