Lessons
Here’re some scattered thoughts that have been on my mind that I thought I should share.
Have you ever felt like you’re spiritually just scratching the surface? Like you’ve experienced a mist and you ignorantly wonder what a downpour is like? I have. There’s so much more to learn from the heart! There’s so much more ( Read more... )
Have you ever felt like you’re spiritually just scratching the surface? Like you’ve experienced a mist and you ignorantly wonder what a downpour is like? I have. There’s so much more to learn from the heart! There’s so much more ( Read more... )
Right, I should have clarified my thoughts, it sounds like. Man originally was created in the beginning to delight in God's glory, and we as Christians are created for that purpose; but, those who are not chosen as God's children will not be a part of that glorious purpose. That's the reason why they can never be truly satisfied; the enjoyment of other things is empty in comparison... So, I totally agree with you.
I wasn't thinking of a catechism, but I know what you're talking about and I know why you mentioned that. No, in truth, I dislike catechisms, too. I think they're unbiblical (and unwise). They started with good intentions, I'm sure, but some people start looking to the catechism like a manual to the Bible, unfortunately. =/ So, I'm with you on this. =)
Thank you for sharing the Bible verses. God definitely wants all of our hearts, and not just our minds... "And it will be, if you will listen carefully to My commandments which I command you today, to love Jehovah your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give the rain of your land in its due season..." (Deut. 11:13,14a).
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Why didn't God create plants as gray blobs on the ground?
Why did He bother to make the roses?
Why did He go to the trouble of making the sunset and rainbow when He could have just made the sky Hunter Green?
Why did He bother to make all the colorful birds when He could have easily just made round gray balls with toothpick legs to sit quietly in the trees without uttering a single sound.
I think I've proved the point that God does, because of His nature bless humanity as a whole in ways that we can hardly imagine even apart from His saving love and mercy on believers.
Have you ever asked yourself what we've done to merit the privilege of smelling a rose, to see the blue sky overhead, to feel the rain in our face, to walk through the grass then look up to see the birds singing in the trees?
The fact is that God has indeed gone to a lot of trouble for nothing other than to bring us pleasure.
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Naturally for me, I had to contemplate how what you said fits in with the previous thoughts on God's glory. =)
We must not despise the physical blessings of God -- including all the surrounding intricate beauty in creation -- for even the least of His mercies and blessings are underserved and of His great goodness. But, I consider these things more than the least...
All of creation points to the glory and beauty of the Creator. His attributes are evident in creation. The starry sky declares God's power and infinity. The roses and tulips point to greater beauty of God. The sun could point to the truth that God is light. The colorful birds and creatures show God's creativity and wisdom. The rain declares God's goodness to all (Mt 5:45). The atoms and many attributes of nature declare God's triune nature, I believe -- three dimensions, three heavens, three kinds of particles within atoms, three natural states of matter, three particles composing neutrons and protons within atoms (quarks), three different notes in music that comprise natural chords, three elements of man, and so forth. On and on... It all points to God and His infinite glory.
Sadly, we know, though, that the natural man doesn't acknowledge God when He sees all the creation. Man can enjoy these blessings at some level that God has given him and get a little glimpse of God's glory, but what does he do naturally? He worships the creation rather than the Creator! Yes, you and I can appreciate these blessings and find them more truly rewarding than the lost, because we can see the fingerprints of Jesus and rejoice in His handiwork. To us, this pleasure in His gifts of creation becomes worship, since in the enjoyment there is a reverential appreciation of the Lord and His goodness to us. We comprehend the glory of the Creator.
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This is just like so many other things we face in life. We basically view life through the eyes of our own biases formed through our own experiences. This is basically the reason why the believer worships God through creation and the unbeliever only sees creation because God is not part of the equation and has no bearing on his perception of his surroundings.
This carries over to our views of scripture and our practice of them. We naturally grow up believing exactly what we were taught to believe. It definitely takes a step of faith to deviate from that.
I agree apart from a proper view of God we simply will never, and I mean NEVER, have the level of appreciation for God’s goodness to us, especially as it regards salvation, creation and everyday life
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