Our Creative Creator

There are many references throughout the Bible that God tries to relate to the daily things of this world that we interact with to help us understand His love for us. With many scriptures, God attempts to correlate as close as we are able to understand, the ways that He cares. While I have often misunderstood moments of love, or even what felt like rebuking as harshness, I also often easily only view these moments from my own perspective. Though there is a type of beauty that is hard to see when only self-reflecting, the Bible being from another perspective holds its own beauty. Just as helpful, the harsh realities and honest views of personnel throughout the Bible allow for true reflection of how God sees humanity.

Considering that God created everything, Father is a term often used and maybe even understood. Even so, God goes much further when describing Himself to use in many different ways. Through all of those He used, God continues to clarify and expound on these details.

'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.' Psalms 91:1-6 NKJV

This Psalm that is offered to the musician has started declaring that there is no other above God. Often termed as the Most High, ensuring the understanding that there is no other above God. He is the almighty - the mightiest of might. This is an important clarification to better understand the coming verses helping us understand His promise. His protection.

While the world often wants us to confirm an ideology of self, God teaches a reliance of Him. Our own strength, wisdom that we have, or even intelligence that we try to rely on - all of this seems small when compared to the creativeness of our Creator. Especially understanding that all of those qualities were gifted to us by Him. The idea of our intelligence, our strength that protects us, our knowledge that has been instilled by experience could somehow provide for us is often found as voided hope when truly tested. These items become idols of our own self. Yet, with trust in the good God we serve, we find a fortress!

In hopes of describing all that the Psalmist has prevailed with believing in God, this person describes the mighty ways that God has allowed them to prevail. Night does not even comprehend the Father of lights. His truth is shielding and a defense against the world's attempted attacks. Not even the attacks unseen for being shadowed and concealed overcome those that trust in God. Even knowing that destruction still happens, it is not defeat! This promise also stands within the failure of our own plans, in and out of season.

'Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.' Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV

Being instant in season and out of season is not easy, yet we are called to. A personal letter from Paul to Timothy says exactly that! Even so, when the seasons bring challenge, when we are not feeling the most fruitful, we can still have joy! This is one of the many promises from our creative Creator!

Habakkuk is a prophet that brings all his grief to God with prayers within a very difficult time for Israel. God describes to Habakkuk that Babylon will conquer them. Even through this defeat that may come, even to Habakkuk's own demise, he still chooses to praise God. Though he sees that even fruit will not be bountiful, maybe not even present, Habakkuk chooses to focus on the salvation that is from our God.

Although challenges exist in our life, we can rejoice knowing that we have salvation through the gift of mercy and grace from Jesus the Christ! He transforms us to be able to leap for joy within trials - He lifts us up even when we feel low to high hills or mountains! It is not as though these moments do not exist of challenge, quite the contrary. However, when we realize that the focus that we have in our life can overshadow our immediate now, joy can be found within the longsuffering.

'O Lord , You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For You have made a city a ruin, A fortified city a ruin, A palace of foreigners to be a city no more; It will never be rebuilt. Therefore the strong people will glorify You; The city of the terrible nations will fear You. For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. You will reduce the noise of aliens, As heat in a dry place; As heat in the shadow of a cloud, The song of the terrible ones will be diminished. And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees. And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord ; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”' Isaiah 25:1-9 NKJV

Our creative Creator has done wonderful things! Not only considering the beauty that we see all around us within this world, but you that are in it! You were fearfully and wonderfully made! Not just the birds that are cared for, the flowers that are dressed so beautifully within each of their seasons, but also you that is created in the image of God. With such thought and beauty being put into the creation of humanity, we are called not to worry, by Jesus (read that here - Mathew 6:25-34 NKJV).We are called to rejoice and to be ready for the call to a feast.

This feast, so well adorned with goodness and blessings is a prophesy of what is later confirmed by many more prophets, too. The coming of the slain Lamb, the sacrifice that swallowed up death forever. Our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Though the world seems to constantly mock and openly ridicule Christianity, this rebuke will be removed. Our God has spoken this truth to be done. Those that have waited and are waiting for the Lord will rejoice and be glad! With that victory within grasp, known, promised - obtain it with faith of the returning King!

Jesus does not want anyone to perish. Often quoted from John 3:16 but skipped over is John 3:17 - Jesus came to save the whole world through Him (read that here - John 3:16-17 NKJV). Beyond the popular talking points, there are many other instances that Jesus alludes to His intentions and also His known outcome.

'On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !’ ”' Luke 13:31-35 NKJV

Even though Jesus knew what was to come, though He had challenges that seemed to overwhelm His emotions, He challenged those doubts and emotions with "nevertheless". Being met at the gates of the city by leaders of the religious organizations within Jerusalem, Jesus challenges their stance directly. He clearly exclaims that regardless of the plans of humankind, Jesus was sent there with requirements to do the will of God.

Although this is often regarded as aggressive, do not lose sight of the comparison again that we see. Jesus compassionately shares that He sees this city as His children and that He wanted to gather all of them together. However, even with the offer and expression of peace, Jesus was met with unwilling hearts. With stoney hearts, a confirmation and a promise still exist to close out this altercation. At His return, even those with hard hearts will confirm, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Not only will they recognize Him, but they will also confess this truth!

A beautiful confirmation within Luke's gospel. Though today we may still have the divide of science and religion within some groups, this may not have been much different in Jesus' day either. Nonetheless, from the physician Luke, we see a confirmation that science can be an observation of God, not a challenge to Him. In the same way, the planets and principles that we observe within space also have their part to reveal to us.

'I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”' Revelation 6:12-17 NKJV

Earthquakes are happening. The sun becomes black, and the moon looks like blood. Stars begin falling down as a fig that is holding on to fruit beyond its season. All of these created confirmations await their time to signify the truth of God that shed light on the mysteries of the way back to the Father. Although this truth is, so is the confirmation of the wrath that is poured out on a world that demanded separation from a God that is longsuffering to gather them together.

All of the world that depended on their own understanding and ideas, that refused to confess, refused to submit, that created plans of self-sufficiency all return to the void that comprehended not the light. The bunkers beneath the rocks of mountains are not a safe place, but ultimately a coming promise that was given to you many years ago. Planets that are close by offer no more than an adventure to reveal more confirmations of a God that is bigger than planets. Bunkers become a hiding place of fear to fulfill a promise.

For great is the day of His wrath and none will be able to stand. Clothe yourself in His righteousness so that you may escape that dreadful and awesome day! Accept His mercy and grace that welcomes you as an heir to His kingdom.

Please join me in prayer: Jesus, I thank you for allowing us Your righteousness for our unrighteousness. I thank you for taking the place for my sin and exchanging it for Your grace - Your mercy. I thank you for allowing us to hope in You. God, I am thankful for the nevertheless moments that You reveal to us. Please continue to soften hearts, open eyes to see, and ears to hear. Embolden us to share the good news with those that have yet to hear of it. Let Your kingdom come! Amen!