You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘creation’ tag.
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? Matthew 6:30
We live in a beautiful area. People travel from miles around to visit sights I see every day.
We were camping one time with my in-laws at a campground about 10 miles from our house. They’d been to the park before, but never camped there. As we sat around the fire one night, one of them said, “This is so beautiful here. I don’t know why we drive so far to camp elsewhere when we could just camp here!”
The point was well taken, and as we travel to other areas to view the scenery, I often wonder how often the locals stop to admire their surroundings. In their defense, it’s not that they are ungrateful or don’t see the beauty, but when a person sees the same thing everyday we tend to forget how beautiful it is and take it for granted.
Other times, we simply become so distracted by real life that we fail to see the beauty around us. It becomes so commonplace, we simply forget.
Spiritual life can be that way. We get distracted by issues at work. We get distracted by family concerns like finances, health issues and wayward kids. We get distracted by the social and political issues of the world.
But Jesus urges us (commands us?) to step back and remember how God cares for all of his creation. Even things such as wildflowers and sparrows. Scripture tells us he even knows how many hairs are on our heads! Talk about a God who is concerned about the details!
Maybe it’s time to step back and take a look at how God provides for us through His creation. Rather than watch the news, look at some pictures of landscape, read some passages from the book of Psalms, or, if you can, sit on your deck and just take in the views.
Don’t allow distractions keep you from seeing God’s direction. Rather than seeing problems look at God’s provision.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1 (NIV)
“Do you believe in God?”
The answer to this question seems to have changed over the years. Used to be that everyone believed in God, or if they didn’t, they would never admit it. It was just too un-popular of a philosophy to think of a world without God. Reality is though, the question isn’t really “Do you believe in God”, rather it would be better phrased which God do you believe in. Those that say there is no God have really set themselves as the supreme deity and their personal view on life as being their ‘theology’.
Others believe in a Supreme Being of some sort. They look around and realize all this must have come from somewhere. Even the most primitive tribes have stories of the origin of man and the universe and all include in that story some great power that gave us all this. Ironically, only our ‘sophisticated society’ has come up with an explanation for origins that doesn’t include some supreme being. But simply believing in some super-power isn’t enough. These people may believe in some supreme being but they deny that this being has any influence in this world. He, or it is a king without a kingdom so to speak.
Perhaps the most dangerous and most numerous people are the many who profess to believe in God on the outside but not in their hearts. They may go to church and have all the religious jargon down. They may not go to church but still believe in God, but stay away because of all the ‘politics’. Their religious philosophy goes something like this, “I believe in God, but I can worship him wherever and however I want. I don’t need to go to church to worship God. Besides, none of us really know what God is like.” They don’t believe in a personal God who rewards or punishes.
The Psalmist has a word for those in the above mentioned three categories. It’s the word fool. He lumps them all together in one need little package. They are all fools. They are all people who don’t know, or refuse to acknowledge the existence of a personal God.
Belief in God begins in the heart. Outward activities offer no proof of inner commitment to him. The fool may say in his heart that God doesn’t exist and show the world otherwise, but a heart that is truly committed to God will show the character of God in thought word and deed.
What God do you believe in? It will show in your actions towards those who mistreat you and who differ from you. The God of the universe, the creator and sustainer of all we see is a personal, graceful and merciful God who earnestly desires a personal, passionate relationship with you through his son, Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you today that you do exist. I pray that you would change my heart to be in tune with you so that others will see you are real because of me. In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord I pray, Amen.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
Repeat after me:
- God said, “Let there be light and God saw there was light and that the light was good.
- God said, “Let the land and water be separate and he saw that the land and sea was good.
- God said, “Let the heavens be full of stars and galaxies and planets and it was so and God saw that it was good.
- God said, “Let there be birds and fish of many colors and sizes and varieties and God saw that they were good.
- God said, “Let there be every kind of animal that lives on the ground. Magnificent animals of many types, and God saw the animals and that they were good.
- God said, “Let there be plant life. Trees and flowers, moss and grasses to cover the earth and God saw that the plant life was good.
- Then God spoke into existence his most precious, marvelous creation when he said, “Let there be [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE].
Didn’t balk at the last one did you? Didn’t let your past hold you back from stating it? Wouldn’t allow your present weakness to keep you from stating an eternal truth? It is you know. After every step of creation God looked upon his created work and said “It is good.” It was no different when he spoke you into existence at conception.
The word ‘good’ in our English language doesn’t do the true meaning justice. God’s ‘good’ is way beyond man’s ‘excellence’ and when God made you, he saw you were good.
Don’t let your weaknesses keep you from seeing God’s handiwork in your life. Refuse to allow the poor choices you’ve made relationally, educationally, financially or spiritually detract from the reality that you are God’s special creation.
The Psalmist looked around himself at all that God had provided in the way of nature and creation. But what moved him the most? “I praise you O God because ‘I’ am wonderfully made.
When the Father spoke you into existence he knew you would fail miserably. He knew you would never amount to anything on your own. He knew you would never be able to find peace or live the life he required for salvation. That’s why he sent Jesus. That’s what Grace is all about.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t ever let the enemy tell you different. Don’t let religion spoil your freedom in Christ. Remember, because of Jesus, when God looks at you he sees you are good.
PRAYER: Lord God in Heaven. Mighty King. Master Creator of the Universe. Daddy. I praise you for loving me in spite of my weakness and for making me your masterpiece. Thank you for a love that no one and nothing can sever. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 