The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

The above image comes courtesy of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the NASA/Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.  This image shows the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri in infrared light (the brightest star below, left from center).

I was recently reading an article on the Answers in Genesis website (it’s a wonderful site dedicated to Biblically defending your faith). I’m somewhat of a dork when it comes to astronomy. Ever since I can remember, Mom would always tell us as kids “look at that – God made that!” Mom was constantly pointing at stuff; birds, animals, stars, you name it – and teaching us to see the glory of God’s creation. I’m eternally grateful for that, and someday will pass that same truth along to my kids. (side note: ask Karina about Caleb and Micah… hehe… sorry babe, I couldn’t resist. Remember, we’ll build your dreamhouse with my craftsman tools!!) I digress… I remember signing up to go to kids college at the local junior college growing up and I would always sign up for the astronomy class. It’s gotten so bad that I’ve recently discovered websites that will tell you the precise times when the Space Shuttle or International Space Station will pass overhead so you can go outside and see it… I’m a nerd, I don’t know what else to say.

I don’t guess I had realized that the closest star (apart from the sun) to earth, is a star named Proxima Centauri. It is already 40.7 million million kilometres (c. 25 million million miles) away. To give that some perspective, the Apollo flights took three days to get to the moon. At the same speed one would need 870,000 years to get to this nearest star. Even if we lit up an unmanned rocket, which could go a little faster than a manned vehicle, it would still take 43 years given the rocket was traveling at 1/10th the speed of light (remember, the the speed of light is about 670,616,629.2 miles per hour or 983,571,056 feet per second, which is about 186,282.397 miles per second, or roughly one foot per nanosecond – that makes Jeff Gordon look stupid) However, to power a rocket at that speed for that length of time, it would require the energy roughly equivalent to the electricity output of the world’s largest hydroelectric power station for four days. And we thought the cost of gas and getting around the neighborhood was expensive?

Isn’t it amazing though… the Bible speaks so much to the creativity of God. The Bible tells us in Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” God simply spoke and all that we see came into existence. God didn’t have to get up and get sweaty, He simply sat – and with a divine command He created. I was outside the other night and could see my breath. I was blown away and started thinking about this verse. God’s very breath created the stars we see tonight. In Isaiah 40:26 says “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” How crazy is that? No matter how technologically advanced the world might be, nobody knows exactly how many stars there are. Yet the Bible tells us not only does God know how many there are, He has given them all names and knows right where they are. To think the ancients navigated by one star – the north star.

The Bible also reminds us that not only does God know how many stars there are, but He also knows how many hairs are on your head (Luke 12:7). I walk outside at night and look up at the stars, and I can’t help but feel incredibly SMALL. I look up and realize just how small my life really is. The Bible tells us that our lives can be compared to a breath or a mist. Yet, in spite of our smallness, that same verse (Luke 12:7) tells us that we have more value than the birds. How can that not inspire worship? How can that not cause you to fall at the feet of Jesus and confess “what a wonderful God” Not only does God maintain the stars and all the planets (not to mention the little “ball” we live on) but He daily provides food for all those birds we see flying around. And to think I doubt whether or not God can take care of me?? Man is my view on life messed up sometimes…

 

Go outside tonight and be reminded of just how wonderful and creative God really is – and remember that He loves you. That’ll preach…

By the way – Tech beat o.u.

 

 Final Score: Texas Tech 34 o.u. 27I don’t really care if o.u. won the Big XII – we beat em… what a game. I think that loss ended their national title hopes? Not sure… hehe… I HATE that I couldn’t be at that game.  

I can’t believe I drank that…

No… it wasn’t alcohol. It was a bottle of diet coke that was over a year old (and had been baking in my wife’s trunk in the Phoenix heat) She was cleaning out her trunk and put the old bottle of diet coke in the fridge. My first sign that things wouldn’t turn out great was the fact that the bottle was still sealed, and you could squish it (no pressure at all) I shook it up… still no pressure. “Oh well… let’s give a spin” My goodness… I didn’t know diet coke could taste so bad!! The only way I can describe it is to think of the flattest soda you’ve ever had mixed with the flavors of windex and battery acid. I immediately made that face that we all make just before we have to barf… you know the face I’m talking about… my wife nearly got pushed into the tasty meal she was cooking as I headed for the sink. MAN that was nasty… but you know what I did next… we as men always love to do this: I looked at my wife and said “babe, you gotta taste this – just taste it – it’s horrible!” (why is it that we get so enamored by things that smell and taste so foul??) In return she gave me that look that you ladies know how to give men: It’s that look that really doesn’t need any words, it looks like “you are out of your mind, you gotta be crazy to think I’m gonna taste/smell that!” I’ll never forget how bad that tasted, and I’ll think twice before I just pick up another bottle of diet coke so quickly.

So, you know where I’m headed with this… it got me thinking.  What taste do we as believers leave in the mouths of those we come into contact with during the day? Are we so flat, stale, and lacking any true flavor that the people we meet walk away and rather than being drawn to what we say we believe, they turn away not wanting to “taste” that taste again. You know what I’m saying? 

As I’m growing older, I’m constantly going back over the pages of my Bible and seeing a fresh picture of who Jesus was back in His day. I’m amazed at how many ways we portray Him to a hurting world. Lately I keep finding myself in amazement when I realize that people were drawn to Jesus, whether they agreed with everything He had to say, people were naturally drawn to His life – and it wasn’t just His disciples. The worst of society found His trail and found ways to be where He was. The politicians, tax collectors, hookers, whores, thieves, religious elite, the broken hearted, the down-and-out, the hopeful, the hurting… people were DRAWN to Jesus. He caused a commotion wherever He went. He left a mark. Lives were changed. 

But as I think about how I live my life and how we as the church in general relate to our culture, I’m confronted with the question “are we – AM I, really willing to do whatever it takes to reach people right where they are, even if it means getting a little dirty, for the sake of seeing people know the love of their Creator? I mean, honestly… do we really care about people?? Don’t confuse me with advocating some distorted form of a social gospel, I’m just saying that as I read the pages of the Gospels, you can’t miss the fact that Jesus met people right where they were. He never dealt with the same person in the same way, He would often meet them at their point of greatest need (often physical needs) and use that as a bridge to a discussion of spiritual things. This was Jesus doing His thing. He loved people right into the Kingdom of Heaven… but He never backed down from the truth. Sin doesn’t make people bad, it makes them dead. (Romans 6:23) 

I overheard a conversation the other day that really illustrated this thought. There’s a school here in the city that will be taking a group of teachers and employees to do a small “extreme home makeover” for a family whose kids go to this school. I heard about it and thought “what a cool thing.” They are going to be cleaning up the yard, hauling away junk, repainting the house, putting in new furniture… just giving a helping hand to a family who is in great need. This person, when asked if they would be taking part, said “oh heck no! that house is full of fleas and those kids are covered in lice, that’s the last thing I need this time of year.” Said that they would be providing sodas and pizza down the street for those that got tired and needed a break. Man… I was floored. 

My mom used to ask; “What would you have right now – if all you had is what you gave God thanks for this morning?” Yeah, thank goodness that I’m sitting here in my living room… I’d be naked… no… I wouldn’t even have a house! yikes! 

You know, EVEN IF we showed up to help and ended up being attacked by fleas and getting covered with lice – the worst case scenario would be that we end up itchy and bald (which I am headed towards as I keep losing my hair!) we are so fortunate to live in a country where we can go to the doctor (we can choose from THOUSANDS of qualified doctors) and get whatever medicine we need. Neither of those things would kill us, but God forbid we might get dirty trying to help someone. I can guarantee you that this family will never ever forget the kindness that will be shown to them. They’ll talk about it often. 

And it’s scary to think, what if Jesus didn’t want to get dirty to meet us right in the depth of our sin? The Bible tells us in Romans 5:6,-8 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… But God demonstrates HIS OWN LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Wow! Are we/am I more concerned about getting people to fill the seats of our buildings, or are we/am I more concerned about reaching people right where they are? I’ll never forget the sunday that one of my best friends and I went to a church in the DFW area to hear one of my mentor’s preach. My friend is covered in tattoos, God saved him from some crazy stuff, he really should be dead – but God spared His life for a purpose. Even though his tattoos tell the story of the Gospel… it made little difference to the people in that church that day. I will never forget the looks and stares we got – never mind the fact that we were seminary students, in church, with our Bibles, listening to a man three times our own age. What a sad day that was. I’m not blaming them… it’s not everyday that you see people in church covered in tattoos… but it really got me thinking. I’ll never forget that day. 

When did the church stop being a place where Grace is celebrated (and given), where changed lives are on display for the world to see. When did the church stop being a place where we can come, feel safe, remove our masks, and be who we really are? When did the church stop being a hospital for the broken and beat? When did we stop living in awe and fear of a Holy Loving God? When did we stop addressing sin? When did we stop caring about all the people who will die tonight and spend eternity separated from Christ? MAN… I’ll stop…  

Remember today that you are loved more than you will ever know by a God who gave everything so that you could know Him and live in relationship with Him. You are loved. You can’t do anything to make God love you any more, and you can’t do anything to make God love you any less… God is love. He doesn’t love you because you are loveable, but because you are a prized creation of The Creator, and because He IS Love. That is His nature. As I tell people when I speak “God loves you just the way you are – but He refuses to leave you that way”   If God is Love, and if He so loved the world… shouldn’t we do the same?? We are never more like Jesus then when we fit into His description of Himself. I’m just thinking out loud…   

Matthew 5:43-48 NIV⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Something to chew on…

Okay okay… I know it’s been awhile since I’ve written. To my mom and the four of you who actually get bored enough to read my random ramblings, I apologize for my absence. I’ll promise to get back in the saddle tomorrow after a much needed night of beauty sleep. 

I was reading a devotional the other day and came across a question that hit me right between the eyes, I’ll share it with you. I told mom that if she ever wanted to cross-stitch me something to hang up in the office, this is it: 

“Do you want to have a great ministry, or do you just want to be great?” 

As my dad used to say “you can put that in your pipe and smoke it!” hehe… What a question? It really caused me to pause and search my heart. I think we all have to fight the temptation to promote self and buy into our own publicity. I’ve heard it said, you’re never as good as people say you are, and you’re never as bad as people make you out to be. Do I look for my approval in the applause of people, or from God Himself? 

My prayer is that God would never let me become rich, so I don’t get too independent and forget the true source of my provision – and that God would never let me become poor, so I don’t become so desperate and hungry that I rob and steal and dishonor His name.  I pray that God gives me what I need for today, and that I would take the gift of this day and relish in the mercies that are stamped fresh for today.