How do you
view the 10 Commandments? (Ex. 20) Do you think of them as legalistic
“thou-shalt-not” sayings, as God expressing his love for us, or as instructions
on how to live our lives? There is truth in all three answers. This will take
several weeks; so let’s get started.
I look for a
God-sign everyday – a beautiful pattern of clouds, a sunrise or sunset, the
shape of a tree or the complexity of its branches, the majesty of a mountain
range, the random irregular pattern of falling rain or snow, newborn babies,
people who love and care for one another, oceans and lakes with water farther
than the eye can see, the quantity of stars overhead – that’s just the
beginning! You look for God-signs, and make your own list.
Everything
that sustains our planet and our lives is exactly right, and if it were off by
just a smidge, life wouldn’t be possible. Think about the complexity of it all.
How much does it need to rain this year? I don’t know, and that’s a fairly simple
question. How many blades of grass are in my yard? I don’t know. How many hairs
are on my head? I don’t know, but the Bible says that God knows.
More complex
stuff: Mammals breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, while plants recycle
the carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. So with the increasing population of
our planet, how many more plants will be needed for mankind to survive? God
seems to have it worked out. We’re not running out of oxygen. Also, all these
earthly residents need food, and our planet increasingly grows more and more.
Enough for everyone? Probably, if we could work out the politics and logistics.
Earth, 93M
miles from the sun, twirling about every 24-hours giving us day and night,
tilted at just the right angle to give us 4 seasons, completing its journey
around the sun in a year, with just the right climate to stimulate
meteorological activity, to allow human life and abundant growing seasons, did
not happen by accident. It’s way more complex than a coincidence. When you understand
how many things needed to line up to make this all possible, divine
intervention is the best explanation – in fact it makes a lot of sense.
Our God of
abundance loves us so much that He gave us life, gave us this cool place to
live, and gave us everything we need. He is our God, and we are His people.
Norton Lawellin
Sunday, Jan. 13, 10:30am Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF)
gathers in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27th
Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. Rev. Van Dickerson will wrap up our exploration of
Luke Ch. 2. See you at church!
NL
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