A Bit of Pondering God - Creator and Crucified

For two years in a row, I had the pleasure a few years back of being at Yellowstone National Park. Well, I say it was a pleasure; it was actually bittersweet. Both years, I was doing my pastoral and family duty of conducting a memorial service each time for members of my wife’s family, who had passed away. If you have ever been to Yellowstone, you know something of the smallness I feel each time I see geyser erupt. Old Faithful, which is by far not the largest or most spectacular example of the power of a geyser, is, nonetheless, breathtaking, as anywhere from 3,700 – 8,400 gallons of water at 204 degrees Fahrenheit, steam rolling out at 350, reaching toward the sky some 100 – 180 feet. If you ever go, be sure to tour the vast canyons and mountain ranges of the Grand Tetons.

Both times, I took Diane to a spot from where we can see a small slice of the vastness of God’s creation. There, I read Ps 104 to her. This beautiful masterpiece of Hebrew poetry, breathed out by the Holy Spirit, testifies to the goodness and love of our God, who is intimately involved in his creation, and his creature’s enjoyment of it. Everything we need is a direct gift from the hand of God, from the beautiful canopy we call sky, to the food we eat. It also tells us that the immensity of the created realm is but a reflection of the immensity of our Lord. Go ahead, get your Bible out and read it. I’ll wait here for you…

Did you realize that all that we see around us, be it when we stare at the stars at night, chase lightnin’ bugs with our kids, or marvel as the airplane in which we are flying pierces a thick, puffy blanket of clouds, declares the existence of God? Paul says, “The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork (Ps 19:1 ESV). And, that handiwork is the sovereign creator-craft of Jesus, himself; he is our Creator-God (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:2).

One night, Diane and I were out walking our dogs, Cassie and Poundcake (a.k.a., Houndquake). She told me to look up at what appeared to be a reddish star peering through the inky sky. “That’s Mars,” she said. Immediately, I pondered the omnipresence (the “everywhereness”) of God. Something as far away as a planet in our solar system depends upon God for its very existence; and declares something about God by its very existence. And, by the way, Mars is really, really far away. The closest it has ever been in recorded history was August 27th, 2003, at 56 million km away from earth. If I did the conversion precess correctly, that’s 55,999,938 miles away. Yeah, you’ll want to pack your toothbrush for that trip.

Now, remember what Paul has said. Creation reveals the attributes or perfections of God. As you know, one of my heroes is John Calvin (1509-64). He is simply always relevant. He taught that creation is the “theatre of God’s glory” (Institutes I.V.8). He believed, with Paul that there is much we learn about God and his attributes simply by considering the world around us. Theologians call this, “general revelation.” In other words, creation reveals, or declares things about God to all peoples, generally. When I read Ps 104, for instance, I know that the vastness of creation tells me much about the love of God, who cares for the smallest of his creatures. Isn’t that part of what Jesus was getting at when he told his disciples that God “feeds the birds of the air,” and “clothes the lilies of the field” (Mt 6:25-34)?

This great Reformer also gives us insight into another type of revelation – what theologians refer to, as “special revelation.” This means that the Bible is a revelation of God, especially for believers. In it we find even more specific detail about the love and redeeming grace of God for his people. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in that very same Book of Romans:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ro 8:31-39 ESV)

You see, no matter where we go, we are never far from our loving Father. No matter how badly you have “blown it” in your spiritual walk, he will not walk away from you. Nothing can separate us! How can this be? Well, remember what we said about “special revelation?” Something very special is shown to us in that special revelation – the cross of Christ. Think of it this way: the world around us (general revelation), reveals God as creator. The Word before us (special revelation), reveals God as crucified, for sinners like you, and me.

No matter how high that geyser erupts, it is not higher than his love for you. No matter how deep the ocean, it is not deeper than his grace. No matter how far you may have strayed in your walk with the Lord, even if you feel as far away from him as Earth is from Mars, he is there holding you, sustaining you, wooing you back to his lordship in your life.

The next time you see something marvelous, be it a sunrise, a lightning storm, or simply a bee busily buzzing by the begonias, know that the immensity of creation reminds you that our triune God is. And, be even more mindful that, no matter how immense creation may be, it is ultimately the shadow of the cross looming above it, casting its gospel-light that we may know God, not only as sustainer, but as Savior.