5/1/10

Heaven, Earth and the human heart

It appears this picture was taken at nighttime, but the sky is so vivid that for a moment I thought it was day. Somehow day and night, heaven and Earth seem to form a Mosaic of the universe. Its as if all creation is seen in one giant composite of beauty. With this concept in mind take a couple of minutes and read this passage from the book of Deuteronomy.

Deut 10:12-22 (WEB)
12) Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13) to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?
14) Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.
15) Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.
16) Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
17) For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons, nor takes reward.
18) He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing.
19) Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
20) You shall fear Yahweh your God; you shall serve him; and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.
21) He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen.
22) Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Just as there is a relationship between the heavens and Earth, so there is one between man and his creator. Its easy to get so wrapped up in everyday living that this concept gets a little blurred, but this picture brings things into focus. God has a chosen people to be exalted into a reunion of true fellowship with HIM and extended Israel to include everyone who truly desires to be close to HIM. Its been over 3000 years since Moses uttered these words and they are true; who can conceive of the untold millions who have been blessed. Somehow, its a wonderful thing to realize that the creation of God goes beyond the mere physical and extends even to the uttermost depths of the human heart. WOW!

What time is it?

I feel sorry for the owner of this watch. Talk about a regimented lifestyle!! However, I freely admit we are a society based on knowing the time. We have so many things that have to be done in a very specific way, AT A VERY PRECISE TIME!!! By the way, what time is it, and shouldn't I be doing something right now?

Eccl 3:1-15 (WEB)
1) For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2) a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3) a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4) a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5) a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6) a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7) a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8) a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9) What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
10) I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12) I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13) Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
14) I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15) That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.

Does it really matter what time it is? How do we know? When you look at your watch, how do you know its right? Is it based on the Internet, or on the national clock, or the atomic clock? How do we know any or all of these are correct? The answer that makes sense to me is that God set everything in order; the stars, the rotation of the planets, even the atoms in the molecules with which we measure atomic time. It really does matter what time it is because there is an appointed time for everything and all of the cycles of life point to an organization and a time setting that can only be done by God. One more thing... don't buy this watch! Who needs a day that is so tightly structured?