My Creator
Loves me, His creation.
Nothing,
Not a thing
Will thwart His redeemed child from
Being brought to Him.
Waters high and
Rivers deep
Will not drown me,
Or wash me from His saving arms.
He will pay my ransom:
My Jesus, my Saviour!
I am His.
A polished jewel in His crown,
Rubbed clean with the cloth
Of His Holy Spirit.
Whether in the N. S. E or W
He brings me,
His prodigal,
Home!
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1John 3:1&2
What an incredible passage! God’s love lavished – poured out, unstinting, extravagantly given. The Christian is a “Child of God”. This is not a title – but an eternal relationship. Moreover, when Jesus returns we will reflect him. We will reflect his holiness, perfection – but already, we have what he has – a relationship with the Father.
We are on a journey to holiness. However, we are not alone. The Father is accompanying us and empowering us with His spirit. His aim, to make his adopted children reflect “his only begotten son”.
What a ride! What an amazing encouragement! Also, what a challenge, to grow and mature and take the opportunities to grow in obedience and faithfulness and become how God already sees his children – perfect, as He looks at us through his Christ coloured glasses.
A continuation of my short review of Sigmund Brouwer’s book
I encourage Christians to read this book and struggle with his ideas. He challenges us to know our science before we make uninformed comments which make us look foolish. He makes a compelling argument for Theistic Evolution.
But I am uncomfortable about a number of things. The distinction Brouwer makes between Evolution and Evolutionism is weak. He suggests one comes from a world view and the other from well considered science. He fails to recognise that no human endeavour is neutral. We all come from faith and value positions (often unconsidered!) in all our life’s actions.
However the biggest problem I have is a profoundly theological one. The book fails to make room for the “Fall”. This is profound because it is the whole “raison d’etre” for salvation history: From the first glimpse of the gospel in Genesis 3 to the Cross of Christ. If there was no first Adam who consciously rebelled, why was there need for the second? I believe the historicity of the first Adam is crucial in our understanding of Jesus Christ.
Is it worth reading? I believe it is. It has challenges for the Christian to take science seriously and to engage in intelligent, not blindly emotional, debate. It challenges parents to prepare their children for the world of scientific thought. It reminds Christians that they do need to have an answer to the faith they possess in a sceptical world. These are all crucial issues which Brouwer raises and ones for which we need competent answers – if not his, then our own.
Thank you Father,
Thank you
For your relentless gift of love.
Thank you Father,
Thank you
For your unstinting giving
Of life in you.
With the Psalmist,
Make me wise
… then wiser
In your love.
WHO MADE THE MOON: A Father Explores How Faith and Science Agree
by Sigmund Brouwer
In this articulate book the author sets out, for his children’s sake, to show how science and the Bible agree. It is a journey fraught with pitfalls as both conservative Christians and athiest scientists will be offended by much of what he writes.
Brouwer writes with grace and insight and one cannot argue with his sensitivity towards the topic and its emotional tensions. However, his overriding concern is that the creation debate does not thwart young Christians (in age or maturity) from growing in their faith.
With meticulous research he strives to show how the “Big Bang Theory” is supported by the creation accounts in Genesis. He adds to this the voices of other conservative evangelical Christians (such as Billy Graham) or Christian bodies that support or do not decry the “old earth” view of the creation account.
The big questions is, of course, are his views correct? Or, one could add, do his views weaken the very thing he is striving to support and strengthen – the Christian faith.
… to be continued
A question I have recently been taught to ask myself is, “Where have I seen or experienced the grace of God throughout this day?” It is an amazing question, because if you look carefully, you find God revealed in all sorts of situations, people and events.
Today was “Parent Teacher Interview day”. This is usually a time when hard questions and answers are given and taken. But even here, as parents and teachers strive for the best of a student, we see Christ appear in the words, the aspirations and the solutions.
Christ is seen in the hopes and fears of parents, in the desires of students and in the teacher’s desire to point to a destiny and purpose. For me the question is a reminder to keep my eyes and heart open for the many “Christ” moments in the day.
… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ … Ephesians 3:18
When I reflect on this verse, it strikes me that I am still a child in faith. How do I know? My thoughts, actions and words do not reflect someone who has begun to genuinely comprehend the vastness and comprehensiveness of the love of Christ.
To stop for five minutes and reflect on the verse above is enough for me to realise how much, not just my understanding, but more importantly my apprehension of that truth needs to grow. Then, and only then will I see Christ grow in me.
Today we started a spiritual journey using a book by Larry Warner – Journey with Jesus which is based on the exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola. It is a form of devotional discipline which requires self examination, prayer and reflection on the Word. It is fascinating that in an era of materialism that evangelical Christians are discovering Catholic thinkers from the time of the Counter Reformation. Teresa of Avila being another.
The Christ-centred focus of these devotions I find immediately appealing – particularly as I find sitting still, reflecting and journalling such a difficult exercise. I am hoping that these will do exactly that – concentrate the mind and more importantly, the heart! The other appeal is that during the day one is challenged, in the midst of busy-ness to refocus on Christ.
So this is day one. We will see what tomorrow brings …
Travels from Ur 