In Praise of God

For quite some time I’ve really appreciated the idea of creatureliness.  I’m not sure where I first heard the term;  I don’t recall ever seeing the idea discussed in print, though I suppose I may have–my memory is not the best.  However, I DID see the word this morning as I was reading The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul (a good book–I recommend it).  He has some good thoughts about the idea of creatureliness…some of which I had not previously considered in the way he does.  In fact, I would sort of say that, while I had previously understood one aspect of creatureliness, he presents a different but very important way of thinking about this concept.  Here, then, is a brief discussion of creatureliness, in two parts. 

Part 1 (the part of creatureliness I previously understood):

God created all things in the way that He chose.  When created things (i.e. creatures) live according to the way He designed, we not only bring glory to Him but also find blessedness, peace, and fulfillment.  One way we live according to God’s design is by flourishing and growing in the places He puts us and the ways He tells us we should.  For instance, we can:

• pursue wisdom
• pursue the knowledge of Him
• pursue spiritual growth
• be fruitful and multiply
• love and serve others
• be creative
• MANY more!

Another way we live according to God’s design is by accepting–even embracing–our limitations.  This means that we can bring glory to God and rejoice in doing things that we might not otherwise think about in that way:

• going to sleep on time and resting our bodies properly (side note: C. J. Mahaney’s book Humility: True Greatness has a brief but very good discussion of this.)
• stopping work for rest, food, and of course worship
• taking care when we are sick
• not trying to take on more work than we can handle, and not thinking of our work as over-important (i.e. limiting self-imposed stress)

In these ways, recognizing and embracing our creaturely status can help us to live well in the ways that God intended for us.  It brings Him glory because by doing these things, we demonstrate that we recognize His wisdom in giving us all that we need for life and godliness. It brings us peace because we are rejoicing in what God has given us to do, and not attempting to reach beyond our limits.  (Of course, I do not mean we must settle for complacency and mediocrity!  We can reach far, and pursue true human greatness while still recognizing the bounds of our humanity!)  There are a variety of exciting implications for recognizing and living according to our creaturely status.

Part II (another side of creatureliness):

After reading Sproul, I think the above understanding of creatureliness, while important and correct, is just a little bit too one-sided.  Even though it acknowledges God as creator, it focuses on us:  what we do (or should do), and why we can rejoice in our limitations.  Yet our understanding of creatureliness should begin not with the creature, but with the Creator.  Sproul writes:

…the clearest sensation that human beings have when they experience the holy is an overpowering and overwhelming sense of creatureliness.  That is, when we are aware of the presence of God, we become most aware of ourselves as creatures.  When we meet the Absolute, we know immediately that we are not absolute.  When we meet the Infinite, we become acutely conscious that we are finite.  When we meet the Eternal, we know we are temporal.  To meet God is a powerful study in contrasts

Being reminded that we are creatures is not always a pleasant thing.  The words of Satan’s original temptation are hard to erase from our minds. “Ye shall be as gods” (Gen. 3:5, KJV).  This ghastly lie of Satan’s is one lie we would dearly love to be able to believe…

Death reminds us that we are creatures.  Yet as fearsome as death is, it is nothing compared with meeting a holy God.  When we encounter him, the totality of our creatureliness breaks upon us and shatters the myth that we have believed about ourselves, the myth that we are demigods, junior-grade deities who will try to live forever.  (R. C. Sproul, The Holiness of God, 2nd edn.  Tyndale, 1998, 54-55)

Thus, understanding God and His holiness implicitly makes us understand our creatureliness.  This is good and right–but not easy!  It is easier, I think, to start with our lack and then think about ways we can excel.  Yet when our focus is on God, it still brings the peace and joy of creaturely living that I described above in Part I–but, I would say, it brings that peace and joy more fully because the joy is not in our life, but in God’s power and our participation in His plan for all things.I am sure there is more to be said about creatureliness.  But perhaps this is a good start.  May God grant that we see His holy transcendence and have a correct estimate of ourselves in comparison–nevertheless rejoicing because He has bountifully given us His favor and an inheritance forever with Him through His Son.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748), who wrote  such beloved hymns as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World,” also wrote hundreds of hymns which are virtually unknown.

Three of his lesser-known hymns are based on the well-known Psalm 23…and each one is a precious reminder of the wonder of having the Lord God as our Shepherd.  Below are the first stanzas from each of these three hymns.  Given the uncertainty of the world in which we live, and both the physical and spiritual needs we all have, these are stanzas well worthy of our contemplation!  I have bolded the wording which has had the greatest impact on my heart today. The phrase in italics comes in a close second.  The result:  Greater stillness of heart and trust in God’s care.

My Shepherd is the living Lord; Now shall my wants be well supplied; His providence and holy word Become my safety and my guide.

My Shepherd will supply my need, Jehovah is his name; In pastures fresh he makes me feed, Beside the living stream.

The Lord my Shepherd is, I shall be well supplied; Since he is mine and I am his, What can I want beside?

This evening as I was reading chapter two of a new book entitled Helpful Truth in Past Places written by Mark Deckard, I encountered a series of principles he quotes from a lecture given by Sinclair Ferguson.  Although all of these principles are well known to me and established in my heart through many scriptural passages and examples, I found myself thinking how quickly and easily these truths can fade from conscious thought.  And so, to help me reestablish these truths…and hopefully, to also encourage you…here are ten of Ferguson’s thoughts:

• God is in control of his universe.
• God is working out his perfect purposes.
• God is not my servant.
• God’s ways are far more mysterious and wonderful than I can understand.
• God is good–all of the time; I can trust him–all of the time.
• God’s timetable is not the same as mine.
• God is far more interested in what I become than in what I do.
• Freedom from suffering is not part of the promise of the Christian gospel.
• Suffering is an integral part of the Christian life.
• God’s purposes, not mine, are what bring him glory.

 

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.  Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 

Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands…yes, establish the work of our hands!”

Psalm 90:14-17

 

Yesterday was a wonderful day. . .so wonderful that I’ve had a hard time deciding which was the REAL highlight of my day: reuniting with some of our church family from South Carolina, hearing RC Sproul and Mark Dever speak, or noticing some lilies of the valley (our wedding flowers) blooming out my window!!

Jeremy and I have been married 12 years and I’ve tried growing these flowers before, and it has just never worked. We’ve lived seven different places, and this location is, by far, the worst location of those seven, when it comes to nature (we are in the city in a tiny apartment). But outside my little kitchen window I can see a mass of these beautiful flowers, just growing wild on a CLIFF pushing through wild ivy and other stuff!  It feels like a special gift straight from the God who made me and knew I would see it as a personal gift from HIM (Matthew 6:25-34).  RC Sproul and other great men spoke to over 7,000 people today, BUT God, HIMSELF speaks straight to me. . . how can that compare???  My heart worships more humbly tonight.

With the coming of the new year, I am reminded of the good gift of newness.

New books, new places, new-fallen snow, new clothes, new ideas…there is an anticipation, an unspoiled-ness about “new.”

As we celebrate the new year, let us remember that God is the Master at making new things:

He created all things.

He continues to create even today. (We’re looking forward to some good friends’ new babies in 2010!)

His mercies are new every morning. (Lam. 3:22-23)

He gives new spiritual life to His people (”Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Rom. 6:4; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17)

God’s people look forward to a new heaven and a new earth. He will be with us, and will make all things new. (Rev. 21)

As we anticipate the time when He returns (see Adina’s post below) and makes ALL things new, we rejoice in the new things He has already given. May you and yours see His abundant blessings this new year.

When we speak of something as being “precious” we usually mean that it is very dear to our heart, and thus, greatly loved or treasured.  It is something that has great value to us…something which we are careful not to waste, ignore or treat carelessly.

“Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious…”

1 Peter 2:7

For each of us, the Christmas season is a good time to pause and ask:

Is Christ precious to me?  How do I know?  What evidence do I have that He is truly precious to my heart?   Do I ever regard or treat Him as less than precious?

In the book entitled The Precious Things of God, Octavius Winslow provides many wonderful meditations on the preciousness of Christ.   I would like to share a few of his thoughts with you over the month of December.  It is my hope that these meditations will result in a more passionate love for Christ, in an increased joy as we celebrate His birth, and in a greater anticipation of His next advent!

Meditation #1 on the preciousness of Christ:

“But to whom is Christ precious?  This is a most important question.  He is not so to all.  It is a privileged class, a peculiar people, a little flock,few and scattered, hidden and unknown, who feel the Saviour’s preciousness.  Only to the believer is Christ precious…”

Octavius Winslow

Recently, a couple of people have mentioned that I seem pretty content in my current life situation. (I am, among other things, single.) I think that contentment is something that all people struggle with, and I’m not sure why it seems more often to be considered a single person’s struggle. Either way, I’ve been thinking about contentment and ways, by God’s grace, to pursue contentment. The following idiosyncratic list is not at all comprehensive, but I hope it suggests some good places to start thinking about contentment. I’ve provided a few Scripture references, too—again, not comprehensive, but some good places to start thinking.

I’m going to divide this up into concepts and applications. The concepts can be applied in any situation, but my applications will relate specifically to my life and to contentment as a single student (since that’s what I know!). I hope the specifics may be helpful, though, as you think about contentment in your own circumstances.

Concept 1: Vocation
Vocation, in the original sense of “calling,” is one of the sweetest and most contentment-generating concepts that I know. The idea that God has specifically called me not only to live as a believer, but also to live in a specific place, and do specific things, is so comforting. It means that wherever I am, I can live to honor God and fulfill His purpose for me. Even if things aren’t going the way I would choose, I know that God is in control, and as long as I am seeking Him, He will order my life according to His plans (Psalm 37:4-5, Prov. 16:9, Col. 3:18-24).

Application 1:
Some aspects of God’s calling for me may change, while some do not. God has called me to be, among other things, a Christian and (for now) a student.  As a Christian, He calls me to hear His word, pray, meet with other believers, and participate in a local church body. As a student, He calls me to do my homework, participate to the best of my ability in classes, and pursue my work with diligence.
He also calls me to use my time at school to serve others, demonstrating love and humility to fellow Christians and to those at school as a reflection of what Christ did for me (Phil. 2). In His graciousness, He has given me a real love both for the church and for academics, so that He has not only equipped me for these vocations, but actually has given me a true enjoyment of them. However, even at times when I don’t feel that love or enjoyment, I am comforted to know that God has put me here and will use my obedience and diligence to produce lasting results for His kingdom (Eph. 4:1, 2 Tim. 1:8-14, Eph. 5:15-16, Phil. 1:6).

Concept 2: Fallenness and Depravity
“What?” you say, “I thought this was a list of good things!”
Stay with me: The Bible teaches that all have sinned, and that the world and all people are subject to the curse that followed Adam’s sin. (God also calls all people to turn from their sins, trust Christ, and find redemption and salvation in Him by faith, Rom. 1-6.)
Knowing what I do about fallenness and depravity DOES help me to be content, because I understand that when my life situation is not what I would desire…guess what…no one else’s is either!!! Until Christ returns, pain, sadness, longing and suffering are not just part of my own experience. They are part of everyone’s experience.

Application 2:
Thanks in large part to my mom’s ministry teaching and counseling women in our churches, I grew up with an understanding that…to be frank once again…people have lots of problems. Women have lots of problems. Married women who wear cute clothes and have nice houses and adorable children have problems. Sometimes, they have life-alteringly difficult problems. It took a number of years of thinking this through, but I have, I believe, truly accepted the fact that wearing cute clothes, getting married, living in a nice house, or having adorable children will NOT alleviate my problems. In fact, these tend to cause their own problems.
Jesus said that each day has enough trouble of its own (Matt. 6:34). If, by His grace, I can deal with the problems inherent to a single student who has a roommate and an apartment, then I am thankful. If, at some point, He chooses to let me deal with another set of problems, I will work to handle those in a way that pleases Him.

Concept 3: Blessings
The Bible teaches that God gives us many good things to enjoy (Matt. 7:11, Jas. 1:17). Because life changes so quickly, the things I am able to enjoy now are not necessarily going to be available for me to enjoy throughout life. So…I seek to make the most of my time by really trying to see the best in my situation and to love being in this stage of life (Ecc. 2:24, 3:13, 5:18, 1 Tim. 6:17).

Application 3:
Just a few of the blessings that I truly enjoy as a single student are:

• A flexible schedule: This means that I can meet people for fun or for ministry at varied hours, often shifting my study schedule in order to make time for other things.
• Food: Within reason, I can pretty much eat what I want, when I want. Pancakes at midnight? Cereal for three meals in a row? I work to be healthy, but I love the flexibility to eat in or eat out, cook or have leftovers, as it fits my life.
• Travel: I can pick up and leave for a weekend with very few problems. This allows me to have relaxing car time, to visit friends, and to see new parts of God’s world.
• Convenience: I can arrange my room (and much of my house—being thoughtful about my roommate of course) in ways that make sense for me but might not if I had a family. I keep notebooks in my pantry for easy access, have stacks of library books on the floor, and keep craft projects out in my room. It’s a little thing, but it’s nice.
• Sound sleep: It is rare that anything wakes me up in the middle of the night. Right now I do not have children who need me or a husband who snores. I am totally appreciating this while it lasts!!!
• Being in a learning environment: People at a university are generally open to ideas. I love learning new things on a daily—hourly—basis. I also love the opportunities that this allows for me to share with others about my own faith in an open setting.

Concept 4: Specific provision of God
God provides for His people, and in each situation, I see how He has specifically given me everything I need in order to serve Him (Matt. 6:25-34, Phil. 4:18-20).

Application 4:
I think that, as a single person, I see this in particular when God fulfills for me the roles that I generally think of a husband as fulfilling: financial provision, protection, etc. It is a blessing to see God work out my life in a way that allows me a safe place to live, money to use, and others to care for me when I’m sick or need help. God cares and provides, and I am thankful (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

Concept 5: An eternal perspective
This life is just the beginning, and the trials here are temporary. I am working for the Kingdom. The work I do here matters and will have lasting results. I am part of something so much bigger than myself, and by God’s amazing plan and amazing grace, I will enjoy not only the fruit of my labor, but the whole of His Kingdom (Hebrews 10:36-12:3).

Application 5:
Whatever I do as a Christian, single student MATTERS. It really does. I need to write my papers, do my reading, meet with friends over coffee, cook my dinners, go to church, encourage my roommate, call my mom on the phone…all not just because they are part of my life, but because they are for the greater purpose of pursuing God—knowing Him and enjoying Him forever!

Ultimately, contentment is a blessing of God, but we are also responsible to do things that foster contentment. Then, as we seek Him, become more impressed with His glory, and learn to trust His wisdom, we will be increasingly able to say with Paul that we have learned to be content (Phil. 4).

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father {be} the glory forever and ever. Amen.”  Philippians 4:18-19

Little boys need more pairs of jeans than three adults I’ve discovered!  They dirty them, get them soaked, wear holes in the knees, grow out of them in a matter of a few days sometimes.  Such is the story of my little four-year-old, and I finally had to face the fact that we would need a few pair for Elijah after my husband stated such on Sunday morning (you guessed it, no clean pants for church, yikes!)

Yesterday I made a visit to the on-campus “attic” where I have NEVER found a single thing for Elijah, (because boys are hard on their clothes, very little of it makes it to donation) but it’s free, so I had to check there before I dropped a few twenties for two or three pair of pants, just in case there were some there.  In the children’s room, I pulled out a box on the floor labeled “4T Boys” and opened it.

There sat neatly folded in the front of the box, THREE PAIR size 4t SLIM (Elijah’s exact size) jeans in good condition!

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so specifically provided for in my life.  There was no way any human could have put them there (unless driven to BY GOD, of course).  It wasn’t the kindness of a friend giving us a gift, it wasn’t me in my strength making the extra money to purchase what we needed.  It was purely and simply God’s provision.  Nothing more.  Nothing of me.  Nothing of someone else.

In hindsight, I realize I had no reason to be so shocked that there were three pair of jeans Elijah’s exact size.  So I give glory to God who has promised to provide for us. . .to the God who owns every pair of jeans out there.  He is all-knowing, all-powerful, EVERYTHING!!  What’s three pair of 4T SLIM jeans to such a God?

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.

Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken;
twice I have heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man according to his work.

Ps. 62:8-12

In May I traveled with my family to the Grand Canyon. It was awesome!  It is truly breath taking!

As you stand there at the rim and look at the magnificent colors and the absolute vastness of this “Natural Wonder” you can not help but think of the Creator.  This amazing canyon is there for all to see and to declare His greatness.  I was content to just stand and look and think.  (I don’t stand still very often!)  I was grateful that my thoughts were of our amazing God, and even more thrilled to hear my children declare His wonders.

 In his book  The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges explains that acknowledging God in creation is one way to increase our fear of the Lord.   Bridges gives Isaiah 40:12-31 as an example of an Old Testament passage that “especially emphasizes the greatness of God and is thus designed to stimulate our fear of Him.”  This passages contains a number of questions and figures of speech describing God’s immense greatness in creation and history.    

The point that Isiah makes is that even though creation (including the Grand Canyon) is great, nothing compares to the greatness of God.  As we think about the truths scripture teaches about creation, we should grow in our fear and awe of Him.

Enjoy creation this summer.  Even if you don’t go to the Grand Canyon, be amazed by blooming flowers, powerful rain storms, and cute lightning bugs!! 

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