Last weekend I had the opportunity to accompany my girlfriend and her family to Arizona to celebrate her grandparents' renewal of wedding vows. Seeking to make the most out of the weekend, Sarah and I noticed that the Grand Canyon was only about an inch away on the map from where we were in Arizona. So on our way back to LA we swung by. Once we were on our way back from the GC I had the great idea to swing by Las Vegas and hit a cheap buffet (again only and inch off course). Instead of arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday evening we got in at 530 Monday morning, just intime for Sarah to drive down to San Diego and work and for me to hit the books. Needless to say we learned a lot about cartography and scale this weekend. But thankfully those werent the only lessons learned:
1. The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
Ps 19:2
Living in the inner city surrounded by man's creations, it is easy for me to become overwhelmed with the beauty of God's creation. Whether it's drving through miles and miles of flower speckled plains, becoming lost in a foreboding thundercloud, or peering over a very "Grand" canyon, nature is the setting that I often find it most easy to become enthralled with my Creator. One of the more hilarious and saddening things I heard this weekend was a little girl ask her daddy how the Grand Canyon was formed only to get "it was formed by the river slowly wearing it away over millions and millions of years" for an answer. Do you have eyes Daddy!? Are they connected to your brain!? I'm no geology expert but just by looking at the Grand Canyon it seems to me inconcievable to suggest that a slow and steady river over millions of year could have made it. It's just too #(*&)$! BIG! The river would have to be over a mile wide. And why did it just carve out a canyon here and not along the other few thousand miles of it's route? Now I'm sure scientists have thought about these questions and played logical gymnastics to offer some type of explanation, but it seems to me that it could be much easier to explain by some kind of natural catastrophe, say a universal flood. But that's just me. And God (a little more authoritative)
2. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to
a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19-20
As I continued in my state of entrancement at the wonders of God's general revelation, I realized that I should be even more enthralled with God's special revelation. I have access to the very Word's of the Creator of the Universe! Not just impotent myths, but powerful, living, life-shattering Words. I don't need to go to the Grand Canyon to become overwhelmed with God. All I have to do is open His Word and let it invade my heart.
3. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1
Being an only child and a Navy brat, I have not had the opportunity to be around large groups of family members very frequently. In addition somewhere along the way I picked up the TV and movie influenced idea that distant relatives and reunions and in-laws were not much more than a necessary evil. However, being an observer to my girlfriend's family's celebration of their parents' marriage this weekend taught me a lot about the power of the family. Sure, they are not perfect, and every family has painful seasons in their history, but for that one night, everyone there found it so easy to love each other. It was a blessing to be able to witness that. It makes me all the more motivated to love my family, both earthly and heavenly.
4. What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Ps 8:4
In the eyes of the world, Vegas is probably on most top ten lists as far as luxury and excitment goes. Many probably see it as the summit of human achievement and expression. How puny compared to the greatness of God! Seeing both Vegas and the Grand Canyon in the same day made it very easy to compare God's creation with man's. And God spoke the universe into being in six days. It took man over 50 years to build it's testimony to perversion. And they're still not done. Yet I still believe that God can shine His light there through His greatest creation, human beings. Don't forget to lift our brothers and sisters who minister in Vegas up in prayer. They need it.
by His grace, for His glory,
jrf
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
Ps 19:2
Living in the inner city surrounded by man's creations, it is easy for me to become overwhelmed with the beauty of God's creation. Whether it's drving through miles and miles of flower speckled plains, becoming lost in a foreboding thundercloud, or peering over a very "Grand" canyon, nature is the setting that I often find it most easy to become enthralled with my Creator. One of the more hilarious and saddening things I heard this weekend was a little girl ask her daddy how the Grand Canyon was formed only to get "it was formed by the river slowly wearing it away over millions and millions of years" for an answer. Do you have eyes Daddy!? Are they connected to your brain!? I'm no geology expert but just by looking at the Grand Canyon it seems to me inconcievable to suggest that a slow and steady river over millions of year could have made it. It's just too #(*&)$! BIG! The river would have to be over a mile wide. And why did it just carve out a canyon here and not along the other few thousand miles of it's route? Now I'm sure scientists have thought about these questions and played logical gymnastics to offer some type of explanation, but it seems to me that it could be much easier to explain by some kind of natural catastrophe, say a universal flood. But that's just me. And God (a little more authoritative)
2. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to
a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19-20
As I continued in my state of entrancement at the wonders of God's general revelation, I realized that I should be even more enthralled with God's special revelation. I have access to the very Word's of the Creator of the Universe! Not just impotent myths, but powerful, living, life-shattering Words. I don't need to go to the Grand Canyon to become overwhelmed with God. All I have to do is open His Word and let it invade my heart.
3. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1
Being an only child and a Navy brat, I have not had the opportunity to be around large groups of family members very frequently. In addition somewhere along the way I picked up the TV and movie influenced idea that distant relatives and reunions and in-laws were not much more than a necessary evil. However, being an observer to my girlfriend's family's celebration of their parents' marriage this weekend taught me a lot about the power of the family. Sure, they are not perfect, and every family has painful seasons in their history, but for that one night, everyone there found it so easy to love each other. It was a blessing to be able to witness that. It makes me all the more motivated to love my family, both earthly and heavenly.
4. What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Ps 8:4
In the eyes of the world, Vegas is probably on most top ten lists as far as luxury and excitment goes. Many probably see it as the summit of human achievement and expression. How puny compared to the greatness of God! Seeing both Vegas and the Grand Canyon in the same day made it very easy to compare God's creation with man's. And God spoke the universe into being in six days. It took man over 50 years to build it's testimony to perversion. And they're still not done. Yet I still believe that God can shine His light there through His greatest creation, human beings. Don't forget to lift our brothers and sisters who minister in Vegas up in prayer. They need it.
by His grace, for His glory,
jrf
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