Magnificence Of God

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" The Holy Bible: New International Version, electronic ed., Ps 8:3-4 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984).

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" The Holy Bible: New International Version, electronic ed., 1 John 3:1 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984).

As I read 1 John 3 verse one I have three thoughts about the magnificence of God. First, there are no words to adequately describe the love that God has for us. Second, there are now words to adequately describe any of God’s creation. And third, words are the way we communicate with each other and God. It is obvious by my words here that I believe in the God of the Holy Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the one true God, the creator of everything that has been created. Having said that I am struck as was the author of Palms 8 by how insignificant I am in the grand scheme of God’s creation. Yet through it all God the Father has lavished his love on me and calls me his child.

Consider if you will the little thing that happened when God said “let there be light.” There are whole libraries devoted to books on the physics of light. Men have devoted their lives to the study of light and have only scratched surface of light. Thomas Edison is credited with the invention of the incandescent light bulb which was
responsible in large part for the industrial revolution. With light bulb man could extend the work day and work inside in large factories. As wonderful as the light bulb was the turning of a light bulb does not come close the glory of God exhibited in the plainest of sunrises. Then consider the rainbow and the sunset and then moon shadows.

Then God created man. He could have just made a stick figure; He could have done anything he wanted. There is more complexity a single cell of my body than scientists have been able to discover since God picked up a handful of dirt and formed Adam. Untold thousands of men and women have spent millions of hours studying the human body and God has revealed a few things. We are so proud of our feeble attempts to explain even the simplest of systems of our bodies. I am sure that God must laugh at our efforts and He loves us and allows us to continue to explore and discover. Maybe He is proud of us when we figure out some small part of His creation. He says in the Bible that it causes Him pain when we deny Him and deny His Son.

Awesome, magnificent, grand, great, glorious, superb, superlative, super, beautiful, beauty, stupendous, pretty, wonderful, amazing, marvelous, astounding, astonishing, indescribable, unimaginable, extraordinary, prodigious, wondrous, remarkable, dazzling, miraculous, marvel, grandeur, gorgeous, and I am sure you could come with some more words. Even with all these words there is no way to describe God or His Glory. Can you even imagine how you would describe a newborn baby to a blind person? I cannot begin to describe our great granddaughter to you and even a picture would not be able to capture her beauty.

I remember walking in the Colorado Rockies on a glorious fall some years ago, I was surrounded by the awesome peaks of the mountains and splendor of the golden leaves of the aspen trees, I looked down into a pool of crystal clear rain water and saw one perfectly formed aspen leaf. Now that I have described this vision can you see it? You might have some idea if you have ever seen a similar view, otherwise probably not. There is a feeling associated with this view, a feeling of inadequacy. I wonder at my arrogance when I think that I can accomplish anything without God. I wonder if it is God’s plan for my experience in the wilderness to bring me closer to dependence on Him. I know that I feel closer to God at those times than any other.

As the days go by I find myself being hungry for my time reading God’s word. I’m curiously drawn to God, is it the Holy Spirit? Yes I think so. There is a part of me that wants to reach out to people and try to make them obey God. I am learning that it is not about the other guy, it is about me. God loves me and calls me His son. He wants me to repent my worldly love, my desire for things, and my view of other people. “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. “ The Holy Bible: New International Version, electronic ed., Pr 16:7 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). I want to walk with God in the way that is pleasing to Him. I want to bask in the love that my heavenly Father lavishes on me as His child. And most awesome thing is that the Father of us all wants this for you, and you, and you, for all people even the ones who deny him. God wants all people to choose Him, He wants to call everyone His child. Look it up for yourself, it is not hidden.