God the Creator

Genesis 1: 1 - 5 (NIV): 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.

 

    If we try to make the biblical account of creation fit with what we know from science, we'll end up frustrated. Genesis tells of six literal 24-hour-days of creation. During those days, God created the universe and everything in it. But scientists say the universe is about 14 billion years old, and scholars say Adam wasn't created until about six thousand years ago. So we have a problem.

    In fact, the text says God created light on the first day, but didn't place the sun in the sky until the fourth day. But we must remember that we're reading this from a twenty-first-century perspective and from the perspective of people living on the earth. God dwells in heaven which is removed from our solar system, and even from our known universe.

    I just finished a book that explains that the ancient Israelites would have been interested only in which God created the world and how he set it up. Genesis tells them that our God created first time, then weather, then food. That was really all they knew to care about at that time.

    We must acknowledge that the Bible is not a science book and doesn't try to be. It simply states that God is the creator and that he created in a logical, orderly fashion. His days are not our days and his time is not ours. But he created the world for us to enjoy and take care of and one day we will fully understand the mysteries of time, creation and God's grace. I want to add, though, that science does not have the answers to the big questions like the arrival of life and mankind. I'll continue to place my faith in God and believe that he is the creator.

All Things Work for the Good...

Romans 8: 26 - 29 (NIV): 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

 

    Romans 8:28 is many people's favorite verse in the Bible. What could be more comforting and encouraging than this? But it is important to read it in context and understand what Paul means by it.

    He says it in the context of us not knowing how best to pray. We think we know what is best for us, but we really don't. God, however, does. So his Spirit leads us in our prayers to pray for God's will above our own. This is how Jesus taught us to pray too. And God's will for us is that we become like Christ. Nothing else is God's will for you.

    Paul says God predestined us to become like Jesus. This doesn't mean he only chose a few of us to become Christians, it means he wills that every Christian become like Christ. So everything that happens to us believers, good or bad, is molding us into Christ's image. The sufferings we endure make us like Christ and that is why God allows them. Paul is talking about God's ultimate goal for us: to be glorified -- to be Christ-like. To have the mind of Christ, the humility of Christ, the faith of Christ, the love of Christ.

    Now it us up to us to trust God. To believe that he knows what he is doing. To have faith that he is always up to something good. To believe that he is orchestrating all things in our lives to mold us into the likeness of his son. Not everything that happens to us will be pleasant, but it is all for a purpose. And that purpose is to make us like Jesus.

His Banner Over Me is Love

Song of Songs 2:4 (NIV):  He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.

   Song of Songs is a beautiful love story between King Solomon and his bride. It celebrates the love between bride and groom. This verse is surely one of the most famous in all of scripture, but what does it mean?

    Its first meaning was that the groom had brought his bride into his banquet room -- literally, "wine house" -- for the celebration of the marriage. They are finally together and the life-long relationship can begin. And he's not some poor peasant, he's the king! He owns the best banquet house in the world. He possesses the finest wine, the best food, and the nicest accommodations that can be had. He has every worldly possession money can buy and he is offering it all to her.

    "And his banner over me is love," she says. A banner was a flag, a standard. It flew over a house to identify who the owner was. When Israel was in the desert, the people would use them to find their homes among all of the tents. Later, royal families would fly them above their homes to signify their identities. True, banners were used as a rallying point for troops in battle, but this is not a battle scene, this is a love scene.

    His love is covering her like a banner. His love is his banner.  It is showing her who she belongs to and that she is safe under his care. It gives her the identity of his name and all of the wealth that goes with that.

    But there is more to this story. It doesn't just celebrate Solomon and his bride, it celebrates Jesus and his bride -- the church. Jesus said he was the bridegroom of the church (Matthew 9:15). See also Ephesians 5:31 - 32 and Revelation 19:7.

    The good news is that Jesus is our very rich groom. He will take us to his banquet table and feast with us. And his banner over us is love. We are safe beneath it and we can find our identity by it. We belong to him and he belongs to us. And others will know that we are Christians because God's love covers us and flows through us now and for all eternity.

Choose You This Day

Joshua 24: 14 - 15 (NIV): 14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

 

    This is at the end of Joshua's life. He was reminding the people that God had answered their prayers and had brought them to the Promised Land. God had freed them from slavery, parted the Red Sea for them to cross, fed and sustained them through 40 years in the desert, helped them defeat their enemies, given them Jericho and placed them in the land. Now it was up to them to choose whom they would worship.

    Joshua told them to choose between God and the gods of their forefathers. We are still tempted to this day to worship as our families do. If our parents do not fear God, it is a temptation for us to follow their example. This is why Jesus said, "do not think that I came to bring peace on earth, but a sword..." (Matthew 10:34). Jesus said he would cause strife in families because not everyone will choose to worship God alone.

    Some Israelites would be tempted to worship the local, Amorite, gods. These were pagan idols. We are all tempted to follow the culture around us and adopt its attitude toward God and faith. In our culture today, we see many who pursue wealth and fame and pleasure instead of worshiping the true God. The media makes it sound like we are simpletons or bigots if we believe in God and serve him alone. Movies make it look like we are missing out on life if we love God with all of our hearts.

    So whom do you choose? Will you give God all of your heart or will you worship idols and the false gods of your culture? God has given us the right to choose. We must make up our own minds, but we must understand that there are consequences to our decisions. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

Mark 10: 46 – 52 (NIV): Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

       Bartimaeus didn't let the noise of the crowd stop him from crying out to Jesus. It was against custom to yell at a rabbi, but he had too so Jesus could hear him in the din of noise on that busy road that day. And Bartimaeus acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ by calling him "Son of David." Don't let the crowd stop you from crying out to God.
    Like Bartimaeus, we don't know how many more chances we have. Jesus was passing through Jericho for the last time, on his way to the cross. When Jesus stopped and called to him, he threw his cloak aside so that it wouldn't slow him down. That coat probably held every possession he owned, but he threw it all away to get to Jesus. Don't let your material possessions come between you and God. Bartimaeus realized that all of his possessions were just pennies in a poor man's pockets compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. Go for broke.
    Why did Jesus ask him what he wanted? Wasn't it obvious? But Jesus wants us to tell him what we want and need. Bartimaeus could have asked for a coin. He showed true faith and asked for what he really needed – his sight. Have faith and tell God what you really need. Don't cheat yourself.
    Finally, after Bartimaeus was healed, he followed Jesus. That's what we should do too.