Tag: Creation

The Mysteries of God…

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV)

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Our Verse of the Day continues to examine human contemplation of the mysteries of God. King Solomon expresses a couple of examples here to give us a broader perspective of what we do not have the ability to comprehend with our finite minds. Who can see the wind or know the course that it takes through the air? It is invisible … undiscernible; and yet, we can feel its force and know when it is moving. Likewise, we do not know HOW the body is formed in the womb.  Oh, we can see ultrasound images of the human life as it grows from a fertilized egg; but we do not know how or why it develops into a human being. Indeed, who can understand HOW a seed when placed in the ground can germinate and become a tree bearing its own fruit? Yes, such are the things of creation God allows us to experience, examine, and study; and yet, we can only marvel at the intelligent design He spoke into existence….

The inspired writer of the Book of Job shared ancient wisdom about the origins and mysteries of God and His creative power in Chapters 36-39. How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of His years is past finding out. (Cf. Job 36:26) Solomon observed: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) The Prophet Zechariah described God as: “The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person.” (Cf. Zechariah 12:1) And the Prophet Jeremiah affirmed: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can understand it?” (Cf. Jeremiah 17:9) These are just a few of the OT Scriptures that address our inability to fully comprehend what we cannot see; and yet, through faith we know these truths to be evident. Yes, such are the things of faith … the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1)

Still, I like to read the inspired writings of the Apostle Paul to gain his perspective on theological matters. And in the matter of mysteries, Paul had quite the insight to challenge us. I like to ponder the thoughts he shared in this passage:

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 (NIV)

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) — the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Through the indwelling Spirit of God, we have the mind of Christ. Believers ARE able to discern and to know the truth of those things revealed and declared in the Word of God. The truth about what is incomprehensible for our finite minds does not discourage us at all; rather, it increases our faith in a holy, sovereign, almighty Creator. His love is revealed to us in His creation.  His desire for intimate relationship with each of us is revealed in His creation. Indeed, in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the Prophets at many times and in various ways; but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-3) To me, all the mysteries only serve to make our Heavenly Father all the more knowable. For we can discern through our Lord Jesus that the Father is worthy of all reverence! He is to be praised and adored! As Paul would conclude:

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Citing Isaiah 40:13) “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” (Citing Job 41:11) For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:2

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made…

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful – I know that full well.

In my times of meditation and prayer, I often ponder the mysteries of God. Our loving Father who created all things is incomprehensible in His sovereign, eternal power; and yet, God is knowable by the intelligence of His design and the wonders of all His creation! (Cf. Romans 1:19-20) I sense that David, too, had this overwhelming feeling of awe and reverence when he was inspired to pen our Verse of the Day. We can look no further than our own bodies to internalize what God must be in truth and in love. It is hard to imagine that He purposed and granted us the grace of experiencing life … to be conscious, living beings … enabling us to observe and to marvel at His handiwork all around us and within us. And God has revealed in His Word that we (human beings) have been created in His image. Such thoughts are too high for me! It overwhelms me!

Psalm 139:1-18 (NIV)

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

As I read this Psalm, I feel overwhelmed with the divine power and presence of our Creator … a God who expresses deep concern and love for a mere speck of dust on a speck of solar dust traversing through one of billions of interstellar spirals within the infinite expanse of what we call the universe…. Indeed, like David, I find such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Yet, this infinite God is an intimate being. He knows each of us … every detail from conception through all the days ordained for each one. The gift of life each one of us receives is wholly an experience of grace … which is why I believe we should feel nothing less than deep reverence for Him. Our lives are 100% in His hands from beginning to end whether we choose to embrace this truth or not. There are no surprises for God. Nothing has ever happened or will happen in your life that He is not aware. He is unmoved, unshaken by anything within His created order.

Psalm 8 (NIV)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them,human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

David appeals to that inner knowing we can experience when we are at a loss for words … when only our spirits can express with sighs and groans what our hearts feel inside. It is in that quiet contemplative moment we ponder: “Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Cf. Psalm 144:3-4) Like his father, King Solomon contemplated the observance of creation and its profound mystery as the manifestation of a personal, relational Creator. God enables human beings to see the handiwork of His Word in all of its majesty; yet, we cannot find out the work that God does from beginning to end. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) Perhaps, it is the mysteries of God and His Creation that were designed to intrigue us and to initiate our faith in Him….

My friends, it is my hope that we will become lost in these thoughts for a moment; to be inspired by the reality that we are ALWAYS in the presence of God; to realize that we are inseparable from Him. I pray that this knowledge would both humble us and encourage us to seek Him while He is near. I pray thanksgiving will be formed in our hearts and praise be continually upon our lips. Then, let us be still and know that He is God!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will (for your pleasure) they were created and have their being.” ~ Revelation 4:8-11

The Visible – Invisible God…

Romans 1:20 (NIV)

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Our Verse of the Day has always resonated with me … when I think of the “apologetics” we have available in the Scriptures to speak with others about God. Do you need evidence for the existence of God? Do you need assurance for your faith? The Apostle Paul, through the wisdom given to him, affirms that you and I can look at creation and know the unseen attributes of God. We can understand both His eternal power and His eternal divine nature just from observing creation … with our eyes … eyes that He designed and formed for us to be able to view all the wonder and majesty of creation. The intricate design … the delicate order … the raw and fascinating beauty of the earth were created just for our habitation as living beings. It truly is incomprehensible; and yet, we can know this all comes from a God who passionately loves us!

Oh, how I delight in God every night when I look out into the universe and study the stars, their positions, and their ordered movements.  I think about ancient people who gazed on the same constellations and their parades across the night skies over the seasons of time.  It reminds me that God is faithful and steadfast … His mercies endure forever … His love is everlasting! Likewise, when I think about living creatures and the complexities of all life forms, I cannot help but be amazed at the diversity of life. I contemplate how no plant, animal, or human being had any choice, power, or control in being brought forth into existence here on earth. Our time here had already been determined (ordained) without our knowledge or consent. Everything that exists is by the will of God the Father; and I believe we would do well to embrace His loving will that we have been created in His image … created in Christ Jesus to do good works with God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) There have been no accidents or mistakes. Every person (soul) is precious to our Sovereign Creator.

We will not ever know or fully comprehend the unsearchable things of God. (Cf. Romans 11:33) As Moses affirmed: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this Law. (Cf. Deuteronomy 29:29) Still, I believe there are truths that God has given us the capacity to understand:

God is Spirit              (Cf. John 4:24)

God is Love                (Cf. 1 John 4:8; 4:16)

God is Holy                (Cf. Leviticus 19:2; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 99:9; Revelation 4:8)

God is Merciful         (Cf. Deuteronomy 4:31; Daniel 9:9)

God is Faithful          (Cf. Deuteronomy 7:9, 32:4; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 10:13)

All of these invisible aspects of His divine nature can be understood through His visible creation and through the testimonies of His Prophets. But even more, God has granted us to see Him through someone more tangible and visible: Jesus – His Son!

John 14:1-11 (NIV)

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

My friends, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  (Cf. Colossians 1:15-17) Jesus is the revelation and declaration of God! And when we come to the conviction of His majesty and glory, then we will humble ourselves and fear Him with all the reverence and honor due His name! Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. (Cf. 1 Timothy 1:17) Yes, it is my prayer that each of us will see the God who sees us – El Roi!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. ~ Hebrews 1:1-3

God of Wonders…

Job 37:5-6 (NIV)

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’

I thought our Verse of the Day had a great message as I watched the gale bent trees and wind driven sheets of rain outside my window – the forces of Hurricane Nicole as it passed through our area. It reminded me again of the sovereign power of God displayed in creation, and this truth resonated even deeper today.  Coming from the Book of Job, I realized that I had not read this particular book in a while, so I thought that I would at least read this chapter and catch up on the wisdom of my patient, suffering friend. However, Chapter 37 was just a continuation of a “rebuke” directed at Job from his friend, Elihu, that had started earlier at the beginning of Chapter 35. So, I spent some time reading these chapters. Although we find at the conclusion of the Book of Job that Elihu and two other friends were misguided in their assessment of Job’s character and his relationship with God, I think their insight and contemplations about the character of God should not be ignored or dismissed. If we look at the discourse of Elihu, we can still glean some inspiration from him that will impact our theology.

Job 37:1-16 (NIV)

1 “At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. 2 Listen! Listen to the roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth. 3 He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. 4 After that comes the sound of his roar; He thunders with His majestic voice. When His voice resounds, He holds nothing back. 5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ 7 So that everyone He has made may know His work, He stops all people from their work. 8 The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. 9 The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 10 The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them. 12 At His direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever He commands them. 13 He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water His earth and show His love. 14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. 15 Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes His lightning flash? 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of Him who has perfect knowledge?

In this particular passage, we can find truth regarding the majesty and power of God as it is displayed in familiar scenes of our physical existence. I love the imagery that Elihu uses to describe tempestuous weather … the experience of flashing bolts of lightning and the thunderous sonic booms that shake us afterwards. He entertains the reactions of both man and creatures; and he attributes these workings of nature to its Creator – God Himself. We can observe the mysterious and the miraculous in nature and never quite understand how it all works or how it all fits together. Seriously, do we really understand rain? Do we really understand the wind and its movement? Oh, scientists and meteorologists might explain “how it works,” but I think they fail to expound on “why it works.” I believe the “why” is the inherent wisdom and knowledge of God. Indeed, our Father has ordained and designed every detail of creation for His own purpose and pleasure.

As I meditate on these things, what amazes me the most is that God delights to share His creative pleasure with mankind. King David mused: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” (Cf. Psalm 8:3-5) How incredibly wonderful it is that we can view the starry expanses of the universe, the majestic heights of mountains, the beauty of windswept canyons, and intricacies of wave sculpted coastlines – their awe-inspiring vistas filling our eyes with amazement and our hearts with the knowledge of His perfect splendor….

So, yes, I invite you to revisit some of the colorful, poetic language found in the Book of Job … and really throughout much of the “wisdom” literature compiled in the Scriptures. People, moved by the Holy Spirit, captured a wealth of understanding about God as they contemplated and meditated on His creative works. I think, sometimes, we just are too busy in our lives to stop and notice … or to ponder the incredible design of creation and every detail within it. Maybe this verse is a reminder to stop for a moment and receive the joy of knowing everything was created for our enjoyment and delight as well. Indeed, what a gracious and loving Father we have to love and worship in return for this experience of life! So, I pray that today we will be encouraged to spend time with our Heavenly Father and to give Him thanks for the lovingkindness He displays toward us through His Creation….

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ~ Genesis 1:1

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

God is the “Why”

Romans 11:13 (NIV)

How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!

When we looked at Psalm 103 last week, we talked about the mysteries of God … what we can know of God … and what remains unknown.  Here Paul emphasizes the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!  Yes, there is a vast wealth of knowledge that we as humans … as created beings … will not ever be able to attain. Yet, that point should not be a hindrance to faith.  To me, it is the unknowable things we are able to observe and experience as living beings that draw us to our Creator.  It is our ability to comprehend that God knows infinitely more that makes us unique … that drives our quest as human beings to pursue knowledge and understanding of created things … that draws our attention to Him.  Indeed, it is the unknowable that builds the foundation of faith.  Here are some additional Scriptures for us to consider:

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Romans 8:24 (NIV)

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?

1 Corinthians 2:7-10 (NIV)

7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”– the things God has prepared for those who love Him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

So what is important to know? I would like to encourage all of us to seek wisdom and knowledge as King Solomon did.  These are the things God desires us to know:

Proverbs 2:1-8 (NIV)

1My son (or daughter), if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

You see, if we really want to know more … if we truly desire wisdom and knowledge … we should focus ourselves on the fear of the Lord!  The fear of the Lord is deep reverence for Him.  And that deep reverence issues from knowing that God is the Creator of all things.  Despite all the advances of astrophysics and quantum theory and the like; the expanse of the universe and all the formations and motions and phenomenon are still a mystery as to origin and perpetuation.  Despite all the advances of medical science, our own formation into being inside the womb is still essentially unknowable. Oh we might know HOW the processes sequence to form a human being, but we do not know WHY those processes work. I submit that God the Father … the Creator … is the WHY! The WHY of the I AM Designer is hidden from us.  It is our knowledge of the HOW that intrigues us to search deeper for the WHY!  I hope that I am articulating this in a comprehensible manner….

What I believe is that God is more concerned with human knowledge of Him and a desire to have an intimate relationship with Him than whether we understand the how all “being” came into existence.  We will never know the answer to that question … because we are not God.  We are created.  Created for His pleasure.  Created to have relationship with Him … with one another … and yes … with creation itself.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Cf. Hebrews 11:6) Perhaps, this is why the Prophet Isaiah admonished: “Seek the Lord while He may be found;   call on Him while He is near.” (Cf. Isaiah 55:6) And as Paul preached to the Athenians:

Acts 17:22-28 (NIV)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’”

Again, I think that what Moses wrote is sufficient for us to apply: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” What God HAS revealed is sufficient for us to know Him … His nature … His character … His will … and to enable us to follow His law. (Cf. Deuteronomy 29:29) As Peter wrote: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) Indeed, there is enough knowledge to know that God exists and that He loves us! And we can trust that knowledge when we believe in Jesus … the One He sent … the exact representation of His being. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) Maybe this will afford new meaning and insight to a final thought I had: “ Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Cf. Matthew 6:33)

So Now You Know ….

Have a Blessed Day!

The Work of Your Hands…

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I find Psalm 139 one of the most insightful meditations on the nature of God. I thought it would be useful for us to discuss our verse in the broader context of the full Psalm. David considers the sovereignty of God: His omniscience … His omnipresence … His omnificence … His omnipotence.  David captures the essence of each attribute and personalizes it; meaning, he brings perspective on how we as created beings can relate to our Creator in personal terms. So I have reprinted it here:

Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A Psalm.

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful – I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Wow!  Such a powerful meditation … filled with humbled emotion.  When I read this Psalm, I feel overwhelmed with the divine power and presence of our Creator … a God who expresses deep concern and love for a mere speck of dust on a speck of solar dust traversing through one of billions of interstellar spirals within the infinite expanse of what we call the universe…. Yes, like David, I find such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Yet, this infinite God is an intimate being.  He knows each of us … every detail from conception through all the days ordained for each one. The gift of life each one of us receives is wholly an experience of grace … which is why we should feel nothing less than deep reverence for Him.  Our lives are 100% in His hands from beginning to end whether we desire to accept this truth or not. There are no surprises for God. Nothing has ever happened or will happen in your life that He is not aware.   He is unmoved, unshaken by anything within His created order.  Stars are formed … and they are scattered in supernova fashion.  Galaxies spin and collide to produce new formations. This brings to mind another Psalm in which David shares additional perspective on our purpose with the created order.  Again, the emphasis becomes focused on our relationship with God:

Psalm 8

1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

David appeals to that inner knowing we can experience when we are at a loss for words … when only our spirits can express with groans what our hearts feel.  It is in that quiet contemplative moment we ponder: “Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Cf. Psalm 144:3-4) King Solomon, David’s son and successor, often contemplated the observance of creation and its profound mystery as the manifestation of a personal, relational Creator. God enables human beings to see the handiwork of His Word in all of its majesty; yet, we cannot find out the work that God does from beginning to end. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) And Solomon wrote: “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the spirit enters the body being formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 11:5) I think the mysteries of God and His Creation are designed to intrigue us and to activate our faith in Him. 

But for all the awe-inspiring mystery and visual splendor of creation we can observe, there is a greater work of God in our inner being that should rapture our hearts like nothing else: “To believe in the One He has sent.” (Cf. John 6:29) Jesus implored people to believe in Him! He said to know Him is to know the Father! To abide in Him is to abide in the Father! Indeed, Jesus embodies the eternal love and passionate concern of God for all who are created in His image. Jesus answered the question David asked: “What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You visit him? Jesus asserted, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.” (Cf. John 6:38) Jesus shared, “I have come that people may have life, and have it to the full.” (Cf. John 10:10) And Jesus declared, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (Cf. John 12:46) I have to emphasize here that Paul explained how those who believe in Jesus are the handiwork or workmanship of God: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10).  Indeed, all of creation exists for the pleasure of God.  As the Apostle John recorded in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 4:8b – 11 (NIV)

Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ (Cf. Isaiah 6:3) who was, and is, and is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will (for your pleasure) they were created and have their being.”

Oh, how I pray that every heart would receive and respond to the manifold revelations of God … through His creation … through His Word … and through His Son!  For His creation reveals His eternal power and divine nature. (Cf. Romans 1:20) His Word reveals His will and purpose. (Cf. Isaiah 46:10) And His Son reveals the exact representation of His being. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) In addition, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of faithful witnesses! “Therefore,let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  (Cf. Hebrews 12:1-2a)  I have long felt convicted that the “sin that so easily entangles” is the sin of unbelief or a lack of faith. Why? “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Cf. Romans 14:23) And while I realize the context of Romans 14 explores the matter of conscience concerning food, the spiritual principle is there nonetheless.  Evaluate any specific sin, and you will discover its origins in darkness. As the Apostle John wrote: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Cf. John 3:19)

So what is the application here?  What is the conclusion?

First, God has revealed Himself through His Creation.  He has manifested His incredible attributes:

His Omniscience                    He is the Knower of all things                   Psalm 139:1-6

His Omnipresence                  He is the Being of all things                      Psalm 139:7-12

His Omnificence                     He is the Creator of all things                   Psalm 139:13-18                                

His Omnipotence.                   He is the Authority of all things.              Psalm 139:19-24

Second, God has revealed Himself through His Word.  He has manifested His desire for relationship with us from Genesis through Revelation.

Third, God has revealed Himself through His Son.  He manifested His everlasting, immutable love for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Yes, there is a multitude of mysteries we will never understand in this life. The mysteries of God will forever remain in our quest for understanding because there is knowledge too high for us to attain. But Moses attested: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 29:29) Yes, it is clear that our Father wants us to know Him through what He has revealed through His creation … His Word … and His Son.  To me, it is no mystery that God exists … that I AM is Spirit … and that He cannot be seen with human eyes. Yet, the Father has ordained for us to see Him through the eyes of faith alone … with spiritual eyes and ears to discern and know Him.  And the greatest visual image we will ever have of the Father is His One and Only Son … Jesus.  Jesus embodied the Word of God. Indeed, He is the living Word of God! (Cf. John 1:1-5) Jesus declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Cf. Matthew 5:17)

If people would consider these truths in their hearts, what can be known of God should move their hearts to repentance and reverence.  God has made known His covenant of love … His compassion … and His desire for fellowship with those He created in His image. Yes, God has visited us and even borne the judgment for our sin of unbelief upon the cross. The purpose of all His works is this: God wants us to believe in the One He sent.  It is only through faith in Jesus that we will come to perfect faith in God the Father.  It is only through Jesus that we will understand the unsurpassed love of God … the riches of His grace … and the desire of His heart for our sanctification and holiness.  Through faith in Christ, we become new creatures!  The old is gone.  The new has come. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) We become the handiwork of God! And this is the message we need to share with the prodigal, the wayward, and the lost: “Consider all that God has made known, and believe in the One He sent!” The Lord God declares: “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no Savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (Cf. Isaiah 43:10-13)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Take A Look….

Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

Our verse today focuses on God the Father … the Creator … the Source of all life and being.  I love this verse because I am a stargazer.  On clear nights I study the heavens … tracing star formations and the parade of constellations across the sky.  I view the moon and planets … and I think deeply about the vastness and majesty of all God has created.  The Psalmist tells us the universe declares the glory of God and the work of His hands. This phrasing conveys the thought of personal and purposeful design.   And as I look upon the expanse in awe of the divine power it represents, an inner peace envelopes me, and I feel compelled to thank God in that moment for the privilege of being able to see His handiwork.  What an incredible experience God has given us as humans to observe and engage in His creation….

Theologians would describe this phenomenon as “natural revelation.”  We have the ability to “know” God and His existence through the lens of the observable, physical creation. Perhaps, Paul was inspired by this verse when he penned the Book of Romans.  From the outset of Chapter 1,  Paul expresses the same truth that everyone can know something about God from what is clearly visible in front of them. And he upbraids those who do not acknowledge the God of creation … who are not moved to worship the Father based upon what can be readily known of Him:

Romans 1:18-25 (NIV)

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

That is some very pointed preaching right there!  Quite an indictment of our sinful human nature … as we tend to be more enraptured with the world than the One who created it.  And therein is the deception that can draw hearts far from God. The Apostle John admonished, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) So maybe we do need to have more preaching on the topic.  What God created for believers to experience and enjoy in Him is quite different from the world unbelievers have created for their own pleasures….

A final thought … when we do take time to marvel at the universe and all of it wonderous beauty, I hope that we will pause to give thanks to God for His love as expressed through creation.  And as you look up at the skies, I encourage you to feel a sense of anticipation.  For who knows?  You might just observe something quite breathtaking when you least expect it … the Lord Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven – with power and great glory! As John wrote: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV)

13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Matthew 24:29-31 (NIV)

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ (Cf. Isaiah 13:10; 34:4) 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.  31 And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Mark 14:61-63 (NIV)

Again the high priest asked Him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.

Luke 21:25-28 (NIV)

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” 

Revelation 1:7 (NIV)

7 “Look, He is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.” So shall it be! Amen. (See Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!