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Tag: nature

  • The power of the natural world points us to God

    Vedder River near Chilliwack - flooding with the powerful atmospheric river

    We have just come out of another atmospheric river, a powerful series of rainstorms. It has created powerful flood and near-flood conditions. It has washed out roads and caused mudslides and landslides. Just another typical spring in BC’s Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. 

    It’s a powerful sight, and it’s often commented on. There is no doubt that it can be an awe inspiring sight to see, and it can also be incredibly destructive

    I frequently hear people commenting about the “Power of Nature.” There is power there, but the power isn’t caused by “nature.” Nature has no power to do or cause anything outside the constraints set by God. There are rules that the natural world must abide by.

    The power that created this “Nature” that many worship is none other than the God of the Bible, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. As its creator, he stands outside of time, space, and matter, but can intervene in any way that He sees fit, in any manner that does not violate His character. There is nothing and no one more powerful than Him.

    Our world is a broken place and will continue to fall apart until the Lord redeems it at the culmination of time. The new heavens and new earth will be better than this one, even better than Eden.

    Those who worship the created are blind.

    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.  Romans 1:18-25

    There is much to be admired and awed by in the natural world, but it ought to send us in search of the creator.

    Open your eyes. What do you see? The fingerprints of God are on everything in the created universe.

    Give Him the glory due His name.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

  • God sees the big picture

    small waterfall, a part of the big picture - a larger waterfall

    We spotted this lovely little waterfall a week or so ago on a drive down a local area forest service road. What you can’t see is the bigger picture. It’s a tiny section on the lower part of a waterfall that probably drops 150 feet or more.

    The area we traveled through has several reasonably large falls, and, because of the rain, dozens of beautiful seasonal falls of various sizes. I always find being near a set of falls relaxing, and seeing the water’s power reminds me of God’s power.

    Just as the image today shows a complete waterfall, but misses the big picture, so it is with our lives. We often live as if we are the center of the universe and if everything that happens is about us.

    In truth, while every one of us is loved by God, we are just one of billions of people alive today, and God only knows how many have come before us and will come after.  The thought that we are one of many shouldn’t cause us to despair.

    God created each and every one of us in his own image. Every single one of us is uniquely crafted and gifted by God. Each of us has a divine purpose to fulfill in bringing about God’s kingdom. Knowing that should bring us joy.

    The person we are today isn’t who we were in the past, and it’s not who we will be in the future. I’m not the man I was 10 or 20 years ago, nor will I be the same in 10 or 20 years from now.

    The big picture of who we are in God’s economy is something we can’t yet see. I hope it will be revealed in glory, but even if it isn’t, we will be able to rejoice in our fellowship with Him, and in the wonder that He chose to love us and adopt us as his children.

    We get a fresh start when we become believers

    “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” I John 5:1

    …  since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; … 1 Peter 1 ESV

    The Lord will finish the work He started in us. The final big picture will be something more amazing than we can ever imagine, and as believers, we will get to see it.

    That’s a reason to celebrate.

    Be blessed

    Kevin