Firsthand!

First Hand!

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. Romans 1:20 NIV

Science makes so many claims about creation that it is difficult to keep up. Some postulate it all came from a big bang; others say it all came from the split cell, and that all organisms came from the further development of cells. Whatever position you take, it is obvious that science cannot really tell the full story of how creation came to be. The cell: that basic starting block of creation, how was it formed? How led to the big bang, and how and when did it occur? The Bible gives a different account of how creation came to be, and we can consider God's account, to see if there is any substance to it.

When I consider how the plants grow, how were the first seeds of all these trees planted? When I look at the animals, some of them extinct, how did the first set that led to the numerical growth come about? As none of them fell from the sky or rise from the ground magically, the first set must have been fashioned by a powerful hand. We see mountains and rocks, some of which sediments and history point to existence across centuries, yet man wants to use recent tools and technology to fully understand the things that predate man himself. How does the created ever want to fully understand the Creator and the critical and divine thinking behind his thoughts and actions? 

Yet, in today's extract, a path to understanding God's mighty power is laid out. I may not have seen God physically, but when I consider the world around me, I see the hand of the divine at work. If the Bible account is to be believed, I see a God who speaks and things happen, and no matter what man does, he cannot fundamentally alter what God has done. Man can tamper and try to distort, but he cannot alter or change the course of the divine, unless God says so. As I look at creation, it is obvious that a divine hand is at work. As I consider the wonders of God's creation, I am convinced that God is All-powerful. 

And of course, his standards as laid down make it obvious who He is and what He demands from us. It is His creation, not ours. It is His to sustain, yet He has given us the serious responsibility to preserve and keep His creation ticking. He makes it clear what His priorities are, and I can only live well if I align with His priorities. His Word lays down the priorities, and I cannot know them if I do not read it or hear it or obey it. Now, this is the clincher: God does not need me to be God; He is not God only because I say or agree that He is. He is God in spite of whatever I think, say or do. His creation is a loud testament to His power and might, and I am only brought in by grace to impact his creation on his behalf. I can agree to align and I can refuse to align. The choice, as always, is mine to make but the eternal consequences of my choice has already been laid out by God. There is no valid excuse I can make for rejecting Him. His time of favour is here.