Month: September 2020

Oh the grandeur of God’s creation. In shear amazement I watch its ebb and flow. My mind stretches to understand its boundaries, but it barely sees even the smallest part of what He has made

We are so incredibly small in comparison to the enormity of it all; like a single raindrop cast within a massive storm, and yet, our minds and our eyes observe its glory

The wonder of God’s creation, who has not felt its mystery?

I can take a hold of a blade of grass sprouting up in a field, and know that some of its origins were made in the stars of heaven

I can watch a thundercloud boiling up into the sky, and perceive the power of the sun and of this earth as the source of its fury

I have looked upon the stars of the sky, seemingly close, yet so very distant from our world; and these before us, are our closest neighbors. they are like the nearby lights of houses next door. But look how many more are stretched out across all the universe

It humbles me, this vastness of scale, and the extreme power of our creator

I can look at just about anything, and see how it is attached to everything else in God’s good creation. For everything has had a past… a history of its origins; and all creation certainly has a destination for which it is bound

In addition there is this thing we call life. This miracle, wonder of nature, valuable beyond measure; found here on earth, maybe elsewhere, we don’t really know

Life is more precious than we give it credit for, and more wondrous than we’ll ever understand. It lies balanced ever so delicately alive and living in this time, at this place

Life is more than a chance event. Or, simply a strange twist in the course of natural processes. It is a creation of God, no more, no less.

How great a value then, life must be to God, for He would not have gone to all the trouble if it were not. Of His own choice, God exalted man to to dwell in His creation

How profound then, is each one of our lives. Could there be any doubt, that we have been blessed exceedingly, beyond measure.

This creation will someday pass away. But God has intervened on our behalf, and given us the hope of a new life for all eternity. He has left us a path though Christ, by which we might have fellowship with Him forever

Through Jesus Christ alone, we can fulfill God’s loving intention for us, and be transformed, forever, into a likeness of Him. This is, by far, the most amazing wonder of our God’s glorious and precious creation

I’ll never forget that windy fall morning when I went into work and looked in horror where our signature Heritage Oak had fallen. It had been a focal point of the main entrance to the college, and located along one of the busiest roads in town. Beneath it, an old historic sign announced that you had arrived at our 100 year old campus. It was the most photographed tree of the entire college. It felt like a tragedy had happened, and I knew that the garden surrounding this spot would never be the same. It took days to saw up that old hulk of a tree and repair signs, irrigation, and lighting that had been destroyed when it fell. But an interesting thing soon began to happen. The plants, understory trees, and lawns in the vicinity began to flourish in the old tree’s absence. By the next spring I could actually say I did not miss the old tree as much any more.

In everyone’s life, come times when the unexpected happens. Sometimes these events bring tragedy, loss, and heartbreak that can upend our lives. A door, that seemed like a golden opportunity can slam shut, a simple misunderstanding can blossom into a full scale problem, or worse, an important life may be swept away. It is a tough world we live in, many trials can come our way, often without warning.

But try to keep this thing in mind. The things that seem bad right now are actually opening up gates of opportunity in some other place and at some other time in our life. Never believe for an instant that what has happened, or is happening right now will be the final chapter. Life goes on, and God’s purposes always have a way of working out. Sure things may look bleak now, but they may be necessary to clear the way for something much grander just around the corner.

That old Oak was a beautiful and stately tree. A lot of care and time had been put into caring for it, and it became the anchor and central focus of that part of our campus landscape. But when it fell, it opened up so many new possibilities, and allowed an overlooked area to flourish. The shade that it had cast over that entire area was now gone, and it allowed literally thousands of flowers to bloom like never before. Its roots had also been greedily stealing water and nutrients from the soil, which put a strain on the rest of the garden. With the gigantic Oak no longer there to compete against, the garden truly began to flourish. Even though losing the Oak was a great loss, the end result was actually a more beautiful and interesting landscape.

We must try to keep a broader perspective when we have suffered a loss or are going through hard trials. God may have something in mind that we have no idea of yet. Sometimes He has to rip something away from the tight grip we have on it, so that we can grab ahold of something far greater and beneficial. We’ll never know what may be coming in the days ahead. You can be sure as the sunrise each day, that we’ll suffer losses and endure some difficult days. But remember, God knows the future as well as the past. He has a plan for each of His children, and His plans are always for our good. He’s the one who can place that silver lining on every dark cloud that passes by. Don’t become disabled by trials, but instead, use them as springboards to launch into the next great opportunity God brings your way.