Creation Groans

Proverbs 24:10 says "If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small." My resolve was tested this past week and it proved to me that it doesn't take much for me to become overwhelmed. Our lovely dilute "tortie" had some serious symptoms and we took her to the vet for our first time. She had been to the vet's before, but that was before we suddenly adopted her when her owner, my dear father in law, unexpectedly passed away. Even cats can mourn. Ours took many weeks to get over her grief and separation. Yet, in the Word it says all the creatures are groaning for something that is soon to break over this sin-weary world.

In Romans we are told that the creation is groaning for their Redeemer to come and make things right here again on Planet Earth. In chapter 8:19-22 tells us: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."

Have you noticed that the earth itself is groaning too? Think of all the increased natural disasters that seem to be a daily occurrence anymore. I think of the devastation in Boulder, Colorado. It is heartbreaking to view the destruction there. Volcanoes are suddenly awakening and people have to run for their lives. There has been an increase in the number of earthquakes, and now there are super-tornadoes, like what hit Moore, Oklahoma this spring. These are just a few of the strange phenomenon that have increased lately. Some may just pass it off as nothing, but I can't. Things are changing here on planet earth, and birth pangs for our new creation have started.

The Animal and Plant Kingdoms of this earth are longing for Jesus' return. They exist for His glory, even as mankind is given that opportunity. But now we see many animals dying in strange ways. Massive fish kill offs, dolphins washing ashore helplessly, birds falling from the sky. Creation is waiting...waiting for that Glorious Day when we will see a New Heaven and a New Earth. There will be no sickness, no death in that Kingdom, and no chance for sin to ever enter it. In the book of Revelation we are promised that these things will be so:

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Revelation 21: 1-5

All human beings were born with a God-shaped vacuum in their souls. That is, nothing else will satisfy that hollow place except a relationship with God via His Son Jesus Christ. When we praise Him, we are lifted beyond our cares to see His majesty and power above all things. It takes our eyes away from the situation and onto Him, who is all powerful above every adversity we would ever face. Besides that, it brings peace to our over-stressed and hurried lives.

Psalm 148 tells us:

"Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.

Praise the LORD!"

Even the animals will be delivered from earth's corruption. One day, all the sadness of this present life will be gone. One day, the confusion and bewilderment will be answered. And the creatures too, will be praising our Redeemer who makes all things new!

The solution to stress? Look away from myself and my situation, rather let me get back to the simplicity of:

"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Will you join me?

Sharing His Joy

I assume that some people that may stumble across this blog may also love to read books. Well, one of my rather annoying habits is that I am attracted like a magnet to any type of book sale that I happen upon. It is the thrill of knowing that you might find a treasure there.

You might also be able to tell from reading my blog that I write about Christian ideas. So older Christian books are the ones I usually find. I found one at the big library sale across the river last summer. It is a devotional by Watchman Nee entitled A Table in the Wilderness. It was published in 1966. At that time, Brother Nee had been detained for fourteen years in Communist prison in China. Another believer had collected some of his writings and gathered them into this devotional. From this book, I have been gaining needed encouragement right when I need it most.

I was doing some rearranging in my house the other day and found it. You see, I had put it in this storage cubby and had forgotten about it. Even though the New Year was well under way, I decided to pick up with where it was now.

For February 1st's reading, he offered such a profound thought to go along with the Scripture from I Thessalonians 5: 16- 18 which says:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

To be honest, I haven't been doing too well. Yet I know this is what the Scripture commands. But Brother Nee pointed out something that I had never considered and that was the fact that, despite my shifting emotions and moods, Jesus Christ never lost His joy. He said I could only lose mine when Christ lost His. And so, he continues to exhort, when I have no joy, I just tap into His endless supply whenever I need to.

When you come to think of it, Jesus even had joy when He went to the cross, for Hebrews 12: 2 tells us to keep:

...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God...

Even in that most desolate place our Lord had joy. He could rejoice, for He knew that the outcome would mean our salvation. Brother Nee had joy, even though he was incarcerated for his faith for twenty long years in Communist prison and died there.

It seems that the spiritual battle we are facing is intensifying. Do not be discouraged. Do not cave in. The tempter is doing all he can to distract us. We must remain strong in the Lord and in His power.

I love what Moses told the Israelites when the Egyptians came racing after them with their chariots.

Exd 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Who is our Hope in, Anyway?

Like many of you, I watched the returns last night with a sick feeling in my stomach.
I try not to be political in my postings, but let's just say things weren't going the way I had hoped. My headache got worse and worse. Suddenly, when they switched to the local news at 11pm it was all over.

I felt this election was the most important one of my life, and yet, God is sovereign in the affairs of all mankind. Is that true or isn't it? When the prophet Daniel was interpreting the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, he told him:

"That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets it over the lowest of men." Daniel 4: 17b

So today, I am choosing to go on with my life, focusing my hope entirely on the Hope that is secure and will not change. I read today in the Word one of the very last verses given to the Jews before the New Testament canon was given. In the book of Malachi, chapter 3 verse 6, we read:

"For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."

Thank God! He doesn't change! Everything else is all around us is crumbling around us. What can we rely on? Job security? No. Money in the bank? No. The stock market? No. Gold? no. Even people we thought we could trust? No. We have one thing, one thing only, that we can run to:

"looking unto JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God..." Hebrews 12:2

He promises never, ever to leave us: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13: 5

And just to show that Jesus doesn't change either: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13: 8

Turn to Him today, while you can. He will not turn you away.(John 10:28) He is in the business of restoring broken, beat up lives like yours and mine. No matter what your political affiliation or how you voted, it doesn't matter, Jesus doesn't care about that, He just wants you to run to His shelter before it is too late.

What is true love?

Since we are in the month of February and Valentine's Day is just around the corner, let us think for a minute about true love described in I Corinthians 13. These are the verses you hear at every marriage ceremony. They are read, but how many really think that the definition of agape can be carried out in real life?

"Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...."(I Cor. 13: 4-8a)

If you and I are honest, we have to admit that we just do not have what it takes in and of ourselves to love others the way Paul described above. If we are honest with God, He will not condemn us. He knows we are but dust anyways.(Psalm 103:14) Once we admit that we can't, He can whisper to our hearts, "But I can inside you" "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

Once we know that only He inside us can love like that, we can look to the only One who ever lived that love perfectly, without failing once. He is Perfect Love.
"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2 This perfect, giving Saviour lives inside us and wants to live His life through us.

Here is agape:

A bundant life freely

G iven at Calvary

A ccomplished perfectly and

P aid in full for

E veryone who believes.


Lord Jesus, I ask you to teach me the way of agape so that I can truly love others the way you want me to. In Your Blessed Name, Amen.