Jim
2005-02-10 15:20:04 UTC
The fool was wrong again today...
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1)
Against the darkness of night a small red glow begins to brighten the sky in
the east. Like bright blood it slowly spreads its way upward, staining the
distant clouds with color. Within a few seconds the red splash grows,
becoming bright orange and pink. Moment by moment it blooms outward and
upward into the sky, pushing back the darkness of early morning.
Higher and brighter, soft gold brilliance crowns the day as fading clouds
explode with new light. Now overhead and behind me the whole sky is washed
with deep reds and brilliant pinks, streaked this way and slashed that way
with new yellow and gold.
Our God is creating a new day.
The person who speaks in ignorance might say that the glorious dawning is
not the work of God, but simply the spinning of the planet, bringing us
round again into the sunlight. Yet such thinking misses the whole point.
There is no such thing as a simple planet, a simple sun, a simple molecule
or atom, or even a simple turning of a physical mass in space. And there
most definitely is no such thing as a "simple" perfect beauty, or a simple
glorious fragrance (as from a rose), or about a refreshing gulp of pure and
cold spring water.
Yes, the planet certainly turns. And the sun shines its light on us each
day, as do the distant stars every night. But the creation of God is not
here by its own doing, its own efforts or choosing. The universe did not
call itself into being, nor was it able --all alone -- to unfold itself into
the spectacular wonders we now see all around us.
The work of God is too great, too perfect in its execution to declare it
"simple" or accidental, without purpose and meaning. It is infused with
deliberate design. It was shaped and is now kept by the power and the will
of God.
Though marred by sin...
The Bible teaches us that human sin has marred all the creation around us
(see Genesis 3 & Romans 8), and we can daily see the bloodshed and the pain
of life. You and I know a few things about bloodshed and pain up close. Who
has not known suffering of some kind, and terrible loss, and sorrow?
But even marred, the creation also testifies to a great design and a
brilliant Designer. God in grace has given each creature a way to carry on,
a way to fit into the niches of life and existence. Every fly, though hated
by man, has its place. Every singing frog, and raging bear, and nibbling
rabbit, and recurring wild flower has its place, and a reason for being
where it is. Left alone (by meddling misfits) life is an orchestra of
spectacular interaction and superb balance.
Even a sin-cursed creation unfolds before us in grand majesty with every
season, across most of the earth, as barren winter becomes living spring
again. And then spring grows into to lush summer, which produces for us a
harvest in fall. And autumn days fade again into the brilliant white of
winter.
Being designers and builders, we may admire the works of our own hands,
scooting around in our flashy autos, and working in the offices of tall
buildings. But none of those things would be here if autumn brought no
harvest. Without food and water, and a little fresh air, we would have no
life or strength -- or driving desire to design and build all our tools and
toys, our houses and cities.
The Lord is truly glorious, as any glance at the heavens will confirm.
A sullen God would not build such perfect beauty into the trees and flowers
and birds and oceans of the earth. A hateful God would not give us eyes to
see such colors and noses to smell such fragrances as fills the earth. Step
away from the harsh and brittle works of mortal men, and walk through an
untouched meadow in spring, or across the same meadow in snowy winter -- and
see. See the "simple" handiwork of the infinite God who favors us with
countless good things.
The fool who rejects God is always wrong.
The fool says that there is no God. The idiot philosopher says that God is
too far away, to touch the world we live in. The rebelling sinner says that
God cares nothing for the needs of suffering souls.
But the wise of heart will always return to God and embrace the Lord of
Glory. The wise of heart will run -- not away from God, but to the mercies
of the Lord. The prophet, Hosea, wrote, "But as for you, return to your
God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."
(Hosea 12:6)
Yes, our God is a consuming fire. And to approach Him is to risk everything
we are and all that we have. But to go on without Him is a far worse fate.
Better to yield to the call of the Holy Spirit and believe the news that God
has sent out into all the earth -- the good news that sins are forgiven in
Jesus Christ, for every soul that believes.
Embrace the Judge of the whole earth and live. Agree with the verdict and
confess the wrongs. Lay aside the empty and pointless pride. Walk away from
the empty life without God. Turn and run back to Jesus, back to God as your
Father, back to the Lord who creates each new day for all flesh.
He, the Lord of Glory, will make things right. He will embrace all who come
to Him. And then you will be ready to face the new day, every day. In the
Bible, another passage of Scripture says:
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD'S doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118:19-24)
The new day is wonderful to behold. The sky, as I write this, is a pale and
endless blue. The sunlight, radiant in its welcome warmth, bathes the rocks
and hillsides with gold. The graceful limbs of bare winter trees reach ever
skyward, stark and beautiful in their elegant praise of God, the Creator and
Sustainer of us all. All glory and honor and praise belongs to the Lord --
forever.
On this beautiful morning, it's evident -- to anyone with eyes -- that the
fool was wrong again today.
Indeed, as the Scripture says, this is the day that God has made for us.
Let's make it count for good as long as we have breath.
Jim
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1)
Against the darkness of night a small red glow begins to brighten the sky in
the east. Like bright blood it slowly spreads its way upward, staining the
distant clouds with color. Within a few seconds the red splash grows,
becoming bright orange and pink. Moment by moment it blooms outward and
upward into the sky, pushing back the darkness of early morning.
Higher and brighter, soft gold brilliance crowns the day as fading clouds
explode with new light. Now overhead and behind me the whole sky is washed
with deep reds and brilliant pinks, streaked this way and slashed that way
with new yellow and gold.
Our God is creating a new day.
The person who speaks in ignorance might say that the glorious dawning is
not the work of God, but simply the spinning of the planet, bringing us
round again into the sunlight. Yet such thinking misses the whole point.
There is no such thing as a simple planet, a simple sun, a simple molecule
or atom, or even a simple turning of a physical mass in space. And there
most definitely is no such thing as a "simple" perfect beauty, or a simple
glorious fragrance (as from a rose), or about a refreshing gulp of pure and
cold spring water.
Yes, the planet certainly turns. And the sun shines its light on us each
day, as do the distant stars every night. But the creation of God is not
here by its own doing, its own efforts or choosing. The universe did not
call itself into being, nor was it able --all alone -- to unfold itself into
the spectacular wonders we now see all around us.
The work of God is too great, too perfect in its execution to declare it
"simple" or accidental, without purpose and meaning. It is infused with
deliberate design. It was shaped and is now kept by the power and the will
of God.
Though marred by sin...
The Bible teaches us that human sin has marred all the creation around us
(see Genesis 3 & Romans 8), and we can daily see the bloodshed and the pain
of life. You and I know a few things about bloodshed and pain up close. Who
has not known suffering of some kind, and terrible loss, and sorrow?
But even marred, the creation also testifies to a great design and a
brilliant Designer. God in grace has given each creature a way to carry on,
a way to fit into the niches of life and existence. Every fly, though hated
by man, has its place. Every singing frog, and raging bear, and nibbling
rabbit, and recurring wild flower has its place, and a reason for being
where it is. Left alone (by meddling misfits) life is an orchestra of
spectacular interaction and superb balance.
Even a sin-cursed creation unfolds before us in grand majesty with every
season, across most of the earth, as barren winter becomes living spring
again. And then spring grows into to lush summer, which produces for us a
harvest in fall. And autumn days fade again into the brilliant white of
winter.
Being designers and builders, we may admire the works of our own hands,
scooting around in our flashy autos, and working in the offices of tall
buildings. But none of those things would be here if autumn brought no
harvest. Without food and water, and a little fresh air, we would have no
life or strength -- or driving desire to design and build all our tools and
toys, our houses and cities.
The Lord is truly glorious, as any glance at the heavens will confirm.
A sullen God would not build such perfect beauty into the trees and flowers
and birds and oceans of the earth. A hateful God would not give us eyes to
see such colors and noses to smell such fragrances as fills the earth. Step
away from the harsh and brittle works of mortal men, and walk through an
untouched meadow in spring, or across the same meadow in snowy winter -- and
see. See the "simple" handiwork of the infinite God who favors us with
countless good things.
The fool who rejects God is always wrong.
The fool says that there is no God. The idiot philosopher says that God is
too far away, to touch the world we live in. The rebelling sinner says that
God cares nothing for the needs of suffering souls.
But the wise of heart will always return to God and embrace the Lord of
Glory. The wise of heart will run -- not away from God, but to the mercies
of the Lord. The prophet, Hosea, wrote, "But as for you, return to your
God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."
(Hosea 12:6)
Yes, our God is a consuming fire. And to approach Him is to risk everything
we are and all that we have. But to go on without Him is a far worse fate.
Better to yield to the call of the Holy Spirit and believe the news that God
has sent out into all the earth -- the good news that sins are forgiven in
Jesus Christ, for every soul that believes.
Embrace the Judge of the whole earth and live. Agree with the verdict and
confess the wrongs. Lay aside the empty and pointless pride. Walk away from
the empty life without God. Turn and run back to Jesus, back to God as your
Father, back to the Lord who creates each new day for all flesh.
He, the Lord of Glory, will make things right. He will embrace all who come
to Him. And then you will be ready to face the new day, every day. In the
Bible, another passage of Scripture says:
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD'S doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118:19-24)
The new day is wonderful to behold. The sky, as I write this, is a pale and
endless blue. The sunlight, radiant in its welcome warmth, bathes the rocks
and hillsides with gold. The graceful limbs of bare winter trees reach ever
skyward, stark and beautiful in their elegant praise of God, the Creator and
Sustainer of us all. All glory and honor and praise belongs to the Lord --
forever.
On this beautiful morning, it's evident -- to anyone with eyes -- that the
fool was wrong again today.
Indeed, as the Scripture says, this is the day that God has made for us.
Let's make it count for good as long as we have breath.
Jim