"The Greater Light"

I haven't published a blog for about a month and a half; the Farmer and I have been busy in caring for our parents. Dad has had to move into a rehabilitation facility for a bit, but we hope within the next few months to get him back home again. Then on Easter morning, the Farmer's brother died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack. 

Life east of Eden, in the Bedford red clay, keeps us sober, humble, and on our knees. 

In the midst of it all I thank God for his grace and for all that he is working in the Farmer and me together to transform us into the glorious image of his Son. I thank him for allowing us to be worked on together here east of Eden in the Bedford red clay. 

One Scripture that always floods my mind as I work through my day is Romans 1:20. I've quoted it often in my blog:

"For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made." 

I think of how a giant, impending tidal wave, an erupting volcano, an approaching hurricane, and a violent, powerful tornado display the eternal power of our God, none of which mankind can even begin to hold back.

I see God's divine nature as I watch a new born lamb being cared for attentively and diligently by his mother soon after sliding out into this broken world, the mother ewe cleaning him profusely and then nudging him to stand and take his nourishment. I think of how in a flock of 70 sheep, he knows her voice. And she knows his. 

Another new, good thing in my life is that my church offers a two year course called "Sound Doctrine Seminar," that meets on Saturdays from 7am-9am once a month. Since I'm a morning person anyway, as well as a theology geek, although I believe all Christians should be, the time works great for me. Last month Pastor Charlie spent a good deal of time going over "general revelation" with our class which is what we see in Romans 1:20. 

In other words, God has made himself known to us in the things that he has created. The only way any of us can know anything at all about our mighty Lord God is if he chooses to reveal himself to us. He is the Creator, after all, and we are the creation. 

So I conclude, a God this immense can be trusted with the suffering he allows in his creation even though I don't understand it always, or often. Again, I'm the creature, sinful and being sanctified. God is the perfect Creator who knows all and does nothing arbitrarily and promises to carry me all the way home.

J.I. Packer said that we need to live slowly so we can think deeply about God, and I get this. After reading in the Scriptures all that God is and does, I have to train my mind to meditate on all of this goodness, holiness, and glory in a quiet space, again, usually in the predawn hours before the Farmer or farm awakens. One can only get so far in this exercise of plumbing the depths of our Holy and Sovereign God, but that's okay. The mystery and the tension are beautiful in and of themselves and worthy of our awe, even if our tiny minds can't do the distance. 

Speaking of distance. 

I'll leave you with the thought I had last night as I was going to sleep: The sun is so hot ( 27 million degrees F, in fact) that it has to be 93 million miles away from the earth to keep us from burning up alive. 93 million miles? It's that hot! I think about how when the Farmer lights up a bonfire. I have to stand back several feet from the blazing flames, but the sun is a fire so hot we have to stand back 93 million miles to stay safe. 

I know, seriously, it boggles the brain. 

And it warms the heart to serve a God that blows the mind with that kind of power. All power. Eternal power. 

Think about that the next time the sun rises. 

Think about the intense, blazing love that would cause God to ultimately reveal himself in the life of his Son by sending him into the world in human flesh to bleed and die for sinners like you and me. 

Think about that. 

Happy Monday!