Month: August 2015

Like Father, Like Son

In most adult lives past 40 years of age, there comes a moment when we look in the mirror and think, “I look just like my mother/father!” Even earlier you can hear their voice coming out of your mouth with one of those comments that you were determined you would never say. There is some small consolation in realizing we will also do this to our children. How desperately different each generation wants to be, yet sooner or later we all look or sound just like our parents.

Jesus said the same thing in John 14,

7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Also Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

In other words, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus! He looks like Him, talks like Him, represents Him truthfully, fully, because He is one with Him.

Often young people stumble over the Old Testament picture of who God is. I believe God was working within the historical, cultural settings of that time to represent Himself to those generations in ways that would communicate with them. However now, God is communicating who He is through Christ.

Hebrews 1:1 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”

“In these last days” what God wants to say to us about Himself- He is saying through the words and works of Christ.

Christ…

Who seemed much more concerned about what went on in a person’s heart than in their religious or outward observance ( Matthew 5:20, 23:13-29)

Seemed much less interested in condemning than He was in forgiving (John 3:17 John 8:11)

Who got angry with religious people and practices that focused on self-righteousness, not God (Mark 11:17, pretty much all of Matthew chapter 23)

Had very little interest in politics or personal rights apart from paying your taxes (Matthew 5:38-48, 22:20-21,

Who loved, wept with, healed, prayed for, and died for us. (John 13:1, John 11:34-35, healings at least 31 recorded, Prayed for us-John 17, John 3:16

Do you want to know what God is like? Jesus says He looks just like His Father!

Do It Again!

I spent some time yesterday on a video call with my precious granddaughters. Sophia will soon be three; she would especially want you to know that fact and one of her favorite games right now is hide-and- seek. Yesterday she “hid” by burying her head in the sofa cushions and putting her bunny blanket over her head.  The game was even more fun when grandma (me, via my face on the cell phone) got to join in the fun and hide with her.  I think I may also have been face down in the cushions as well since that was all I could see. But I could hear the giggles and squeals when Daddy found “us”. Such a joy!

I was reminded this morning of one of my favorite G. K. Chesterton quotes. It is a bit long, but I would like to share it with you.

“The thing I mean can be seen, for instance, in children, when they find some game or joke that they specially enjoy… Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical ENCORE.”

Since my husband has been home more recently dealing with some family issues, we have begun an evening ritual of watching the sun set. We even bought a park bench so we could sit facing west and watch the ENCORE of God each evening over the valley below our hilltop. It is amazing that no two sunsets are the same and some of the most spectacular happen when the sky is troubled with storms. Yet each evening He does it again!

I think I need to let some of this childish anticipation creep over into my spiritual life.  I find this generation to be so jaded, so sure that there is nothing new under the sun.  I want to share a wink with God and say “Do it again!” Send the movements of God I remember from my childhood! Movements of conviction and power, when people’s lives were so dramatically changed that no one seemed beyond the grip of grace.  Heal bodies and souls so that the watching world will see your glory! What could we see if we would only ask and believe?

However, I feel the rebuke in my spirit when the Creator of the universe looks down at mere mortals who think there is “nothing new under the sun”; while every evening viewing a uniquely glorious sunset. Once again the voice of God echoes from the ancient book of Job, Chapter 38

(God speaking) I will question you, and you make it known to me.

4“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding…
7when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

God says even this, Himself revealed through nature, is enough or us to know Him.

Romans 1:19 “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 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. So they are without excuse.”

I ask God to show Himself to those I love again. So He lets there be another sunset. ENCORE!