Acts 17:24-29
“The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
While eating lunch today, I was watching a local television station’s “noon show”, and a woman was talking about the Eastern Phoebe...a little songbird native to our area. The Eastern Phoebe is important to us because it eats wasps and other pesky insects. Learn more about this bird at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/eastern_phoebe/id - and even listen to its call, which I bet you will find familiar if you live in the South!
Like many animals, we sometimes wonder why God made birds like the Eastern Phoebe. As the person on this show explained, this bird eats pesky wasps. But some might ask, “Why did God make the wasp?” Trust me…every creature on this earth serves some purpose. A friend posted a photo of a now-dead snake that made the mistake of crossing her driveway. She wanted to know what kind it was. Aside from the half-dozen comments that it was a “dead snake”, some told her it was a blue racer or rat snake…harmless to humans, but helpful in controlling the poisonous snake/rodent populations. Yes, God even gave snakes a purpose!
All around us, leaves are appearing on trees and shrubs…flowers are blooming…and the yellow pollen is so thick that many of us can barely get a good breath! And in it all, we can find the hand of God. I’ve always laughed a little when people say, “I don’t go to church…I prefer to find God in nature. So I go hunting or fishing…to the lake… take a walk or run…or even sit on my back porch and enjoy the beauty around me.” That’s wonderful! But “nature” is not the only place we find God – or experience him. Yes, we can see the hand of God in the rosebuds that have peppered our bushes in the front yard…and the brilliant red azalea blossoms that are opening. Yes, we can “hear” God in the rumble of thunder as a line of spring storms blows through our neighborhood.
We can find God’s handiwork in the intricate patterns of my calico cat’s fur or the way our Lucy’s black and white “tuxedo” coat covers her little frame. We experience God in the daily growth and accomplishments of our little Timothy, Zola and Nathan. But I also found Him in the frail, wrinkled hands of my grandmother that toiled and loved…and served Him for over 100 years. And we can find God in the details of her life…the way He saw her through triumphs and tragedies and arranged every detail to her last breath.
The point I am trying to make is that God IS evident in nature and the living things He has created. But if we don’t find Him in everyday, ordinary people, places and things, we’ve not truly experienced Him. There is none other like Him, and there never will be. God is not hiding from us…He is in plain view at all times - if we will open our eyes and ears. Too many of us are busy trying to create other “gods”…or “worshipping” in the wrong places. We have been so busy pursuing what we think is “spiritual” and holy that we have walked right past God! While we’re seeking choirs of angels and the roar of a pipe organ in our ear – or celestial trumpets that announce God’s presence – He is quietly sitting in the corner, meticulously orchestrating our lives and those of the world at large.
Don’t miss Him! Don’t get so caught up in your own agenda or seeking grandiose demonstrations that you miss God’s omnipresence. Find God in the beauty of nature, the song of an Eastern Phoebe, or the intricacies of a small child or a precious pet. But recognize His existence in the ordinary, even mundane events of your life as well. Feel His hand holding yours as you take a test, meet with your boss, interview for a job, apply for a loan, or undergo a medical exam. Experience His wisdom and design for your life as you seek Him through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. Recognize His role in numbering every step of your life…orchestrating each event with purpose and intention.
When you fully experience God…when you recognize Him in all ways – in all places – everything about your life begins to change. But don’t take my word for it… find out for yourself! Discover fully just how present God is in your own life! Learn to live and move in God…and discover just how amazing He truly is!
©2014 Debbie Robus
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