Contemplating

Ever contemplate the sun?

 

Ever see what a marvelous wonder it is?

 

With images from the new telescope, pictures of this star are awe inspiring.

 

This is a huge ball of blazing gases floating in the vast Milky Way Galaxy that supports thousands of other stars. You can barely find it without a guide.

 

It has burned constantly and consistently for thousands (maybe eons) of years, providing heat, light, solar power and nutrients for all growing things - including us.

 

> Without it, life on earth would not exist.

> What suspends this blazing ball of flaming gas?

> Where do the gases come from to continually burn?

> What keeps them continually lit?

> What keeps the gases contained in an, almost, perfect sphere?

 

All Christians know the one answer to these questions.

Isn't He a marvelous wonder?

 

"Out of the north comes a golden glow, fearsome majesty surrounding God. Shaddai, whom we cannot find, whose power is immense . . . "

 

 

 

When God became fed up with Job's wining, He answered,

"Where were you when I founded the earth? . . . . Have you ever in your life called up the dawn and made the morning know its place . . .? Which way leads to where light has its home? and darkness, where does it dwell? . . . Can you tie up the chords of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion? Can you lead out the constellations of the zodiac in their season or guide the Great Bear and its cubs? Do you know the laws of the sky? Can you determine how they affect the earth?" 

 Job 37:22 paraphrased thru 38:33

 

Let us all bow in humble adoration of our Creator, the one and only living God.

 

 

 

Look Up

Napoleon the First, with all his disdain for men, bowed to one power that he was pleased to regard as greater than himself. In the heart of an atheistic age he replied to the theorists of his day, "Your arguments gentlemen, are very fine. But who," pointing up to the evening sky, "who made all these?" And even the godless science of our times, while rejecting the scriptural answer to this question, still confesses that it has no other to give. 

"The phenomena of matter and force," says Tyndall, "lie within our intellectual range; and as far as they reach we will push our inquiries. But behind, and above, and around all, the real mystery of the universe lies unsolved, and as far as we are concerned, is incapable of solution." But why incapable of solution? Why not already solved, so far as we are concerned, in this "simple, unequivocal, exhaustive, majestic" alpha of the Bible — "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"? 

What is the origin of things? Perhaps the greatest question mortal man can ask. A profoundly religious question, going down to the very roots of Truth, Science, Theology, Character and Worship. 

There are sixty or seventy elements which, so far as we know at present, that are the make up of the universe. And the point is this: not one solitary atom of these elements can be made by man.  All that man can do is to operate with these elements. In short, man must have something on which, as well as with which, to operate.  From where came this inconceivable amount of material? 

God creates atoms; man fashions molecules.

Let me leave you with these verses from the book of Job:

Where were you when I founded the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Do you know who determined its dimensions
or who stretched the measuring line across it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

After 2 full chapters in the book of Job (38 & 39) Gods response to all the complaining crushes Job's arguments that the Eternal cannot be approached and will not respond.  Job's answer to God consists of only 2 verses.  After all the talk expressing the desire to speak to God and defend himself, Job can only lay his hand over his mouth and confess total ignorance, Job 40:4 & 5.

I am too ashamed; I have nothing to say.
I lay my hand over my mouth.
Yes, I spoke once, but I won't answer more;
all right, twice, but I won't go on.

Give or Take ?

I just saw it listed again:

Job 1:21, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away".  Every time I see this, someone is trying to make the point that God takes from us.  It is neither God nor Jesus making this statement.  Job is making this statement in the throws of misery and self pity after losing everything.  Of course, you can sympathize with him.
 
The story states clearly that Satan has taken everything.  Let's also remember it was God who put limits on Satan's torture.  God is the one in charge.  So why are we constantly quoting this verse to say that God takes from us?  I have heard teachings on this.  Job seems to spend quite a bit of time in Chapter 30 continuing to blame God.  He clearly does not understand.

Yes, God did allow it. God allows us to make poor decisions and suffer the consequences of our mistakes; in this case Job had the sin of pride, Job 29:21 - 25 and 30:1 & 25.  How many of us are guilty of pride and not aware of it?

God does not take.  He is a generous Father who loves to give to His children.  Chapters 29 and verses in chapter 30 shows how Job was wallowing in self pity remembering everything in chapter 29.   (Lot's wife also looked back and remember what happened to her ?!)  

In Job 38:2 God tells Job he is speaking without knowledge.   We cannot presume to know the mind of God.  Know His love and believe everything is for our benefit. 

You might want to remind yourself that all believers are inheritors of the promises given to Moses on Mt. Ebal, Deut. 28:1-14.  Want to see more?  In Deuteronomy 29:5, we find out something that is most often overlooked in the story of wandering in the desert.  The clothing and sandals of the Israelites did not wear out for forty years of walking around in all types of weather.  Children were growing; how do you think God handled that?  I think their clothing grew right along with them.  Makes sense in light of this verse.

You might like to see Jer. 29:11, where God says He has plans for us.  Jms. 1:17 tells us all the good stuff comes from above.  Personally, I am fond of Psalm 91.  

In the life of Jesus, who said if you saw Him, you saw the Father, He never took anything from anyone.   He never gave leprosy or poverty; only health and grace. 

P.S. God did GIVE back to Job everything that Satan took, plus more because Job remained true to his faith.   Job humbled himself, 42:3-6, and was restored.
God is love.

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Let's Have A Party

I  had a party yesterday.

I sulked, would not talk to anyone, hid away, did not bathe or get dressed, took a long nap and sighed, "Oh God".  Any of you ever have a party like this?

Things were not going the way I wanted, as fast as I wanted.  I did not sleep well the night before and blamed everyone in the house for it, including the cat.  When you are sleep deprived, everything seems worse.  It was a cloudy day, cold, windy and snowing - that did not help.  I had thought I would get out to run errands but just did not want to in that messy weather.  You notice the smallest issue: the dog is barking at the dog that is barking 4 blocks away, the house is a mess, the doctor did not return my phone call and my husband didn't wring out the dishrag - again.  No matter he is busy hanging wallpaper for me, he never wrings out the dishrag.

A few doors were slammed, conversation was ignored and I had a good cry in the bathroom - which all went unnoticed.   Which made it worse: nobody cares!  I took my car keys and left without a word to anyone about where I was going or when I would be back.  I didn't even dress; went out in my "jammy jeans" and house slippers (in the cold snow).   When I left the house, I told myself I would go to my friends and cheer her up.   The best thing for self pity is to do something for someone else and take your mind off yourself.  That is what I told myself I was going to do.  That's what I told myself.     I knew she was also in the middle of some personal issues and misery loves company.   In my subconscious, I was dying to tell her how the universe was being so unfair to me.  Boo hoo!   I drove to her house and the two of us had an intimate pity party.  We discussed everything wrong in our lives at that moment and ended up laughing about it all.  Ain't friends great !?      

Today the sun is out, I had a good nights sleep and got in some exercise.  Today, it is clear to me that yesterday was a pity party for myself and I even shared it with a friend.  Today, I am reminded of Jonah who had a pity party after God made him go to Nineveh to warn people he did not think deserved a second chance.  He sat down under a tree, by himself and whined to God who was exercising his graceful mercy to these people.  Jonah 4:11







I am also reminded of Elijah (who's name actually means, "Yahweh is Grace"), as he fled the threats of Jezebel in IKings 19.  He had a great pity party.  Elijah had just killed all the false prophets and  torn down idols (a great story in IKings 18).  How soon Elijah forgot this all happened by the hand of God.  Elijah knew God did this great work through him, but did not consider that God could save him from Jezebel.

A pity party can serve us as a lesson from God.  We need to find more faith in the one who created time and space.  We have to get going when the going is tough.  The sun comes out tomorrow.  There is always sun behind the clouds.  God is in His heaven and loves us as individuals. 


Let us not forget the amazing story of Job.  After he got over his pity party, God restored everything to him PLUS.

Let Job be this lesson: when we accept our circumstances, God gets involved.  Nothing is accomplished as long as we are partying on our own and whining about our situation.  Let's face it, having God involved is much better than not.


A pity party is a total waste of time and effort.  It is absolute self absorption and accomplishes nothing.   No one wants to come to our party.   

 It does give the enemy reason to celebrate.  He is happy to see us unhappy with, and doubting God.  Score one for the enemy of heaven when I have a pity party.

In my defense, I will say it is the first in a long time.  Once I shake it off, I usually come back like a warrior; ready to do whatever it takes to be right with God.  I have apologized to my Heavenly Father and I can always hope that is the last one - just like the last time I hosted one.  We are all a work in progress and God is waiting to forgive us - again.  Thanks to God, we get a little better each time. 

Amen