Month: January 2018

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

I like to read just before falling asleep at night.  At the beginning of this year I started reading Bob Martin’s book, God Our Father. This is a book of meditations in theology from creation to consummation and I have found it challenging and deep.  Mr. Martin has filled his book with Scripture references as he points out the unique relationship of mankind and God from creation onward.

Mr. Martin words his ideas in such interesting ways I must write quotations.  For example, when he begins his book discussing creation and how God created man in His own image and breathed into him the breath of life, he writes, “Consequently, man’s life had its origin in that life which is within God Himself. As such, it is a shared life, the purpose of which can only be found in Him whose life it is” (p. 17).

I’ve had to sometimes read paragraphs twice to get the full meaning into my brain and that was one of them. We should never doubt our purpose when we understand those words.  On the other hand, without living our life for our Creator, what purpose do we have?

Continuing with the creation theme, Mr. Martin points out that God created man and woman for each other, but he also created them for Himself. God is love. God needed someone to love and someone to love Him.

Mr. Martin writes, “Nor can we assume that this need was already being fulfilled within the mystery of God’s being, embracing, as it does, the pre-existing Christ (cf. Jn. 1:1-3). For if man and woman, created in the image of God, were to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Gen. 1:28) in the fulfillment of their love – even though they already  had each other with whom to share their love, would it not suggest that God, in whose image they had been created, should likewise ‘make man’ in the fulfillment of His love – even though there was already the ‘us’ with whom He shared in creating man and woman (Gen. 1:26)? There is, it seems, an ‘us’ about God, just as there is a ‘them’ about man (Gen. 1:27; 5:1-2), that leads, because of love, to the creation of life” (p. 18).   Something to think about.

 

Bob Martin was Professor of Bible and Theology at Johnson University from 1973-2009.  He went on to his reward in March 2010.

 

 

“He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you’” (Exodus 15:26).

Here it is half way through January—two weeks into the new year and I’ve spent several days with the winter crud—otherwise known as respiratory problems. I skipped the doctor’s office and used Tylenol, cough syrup, inhalers, and oh, yes, warm salt water gargles. I don’t know if I recovered quicker or not, but I heard that medical facilities were pretty busy with people sick with the flu. I thought I had enough germs without going for more.  Thankfully, I’m feeling better. I think lots of naps are good medicine, too.

Last year I read through the Bible using a chronological Bible. I had done that before and enjoyed seeing how the parts of the Bible fit together chronologically. It gives one a different perspective especially when reading through the historical events. This year I decided to read through the books in their listed order.  As you can see I’m up to the wilderness wanderings in Exodus 15.

Moses and Miriam, his sister, have led the people in a song of celebration after crossing the Red Sea and witnessing the destruction of Pharaoh’s army.  Three days later the people are crying because they need fresh water to drink. Moses cries out to God who shows him a piece of wood to throw into the bitter water to make it sweet.  I wonder why God chose to use a piece of wood. He could have just miraculously changed the water with a word or had Moses touch it with his staff, but He didn’t. He showed Moses the piece of wood.  Was that wood special? The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about what kind of wood it was so we’re left wondering.

After God gave the people good water to drink He gave them a law saying that if they obeyed His commands He wouldn’t bring on them any of the diseases of the Egyptians. He said, “I am the Lord, who heals you.”  I’m not suggesting that we won’t get diseases and sicknesses if we obey God. What I am suggesting is that God has given us ways to deal with them. Just as Moses was shown the piece of wood, God has given knowledge to scientists and doctors to develop technologies, skills and medicines to help us. I’m a big believer in natural and pure medicines not what the politically entangled pharmaceuticals want us to use. Sometimes it is hard to know who to trust with our health and I don’t have an answer for that.  I do know I have to trust God. He doesn’t promise to take away our illnesses. He doesn’t even promise that we’ll recover from all illnesses (on this earth), but He promises to be with us through whatever comes our way.

“. . . pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5: 16b).

 

 

 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

While speaking with my sister-in-law recently we agreed that as we get older our wants and needs lists become shorter. As I reflect on that discussion in light of the Apostle Peter’s words I can see that is exactly what we need-a short list of wants and needs.  The Apostle Paul says in1 Timothy 6:8, “if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”  Most of us have few real needs. Our greatest need is to be saved and become like Jesus. God has given us all we need to do that. We certainly can’t do it on our own! Through our faith in the power of His death and resurrection we have access to His divine nature. We don’t have to be controlled by the world’s corruption or our evil desires. Praise God!

As we begin this new year let us focus less on things and more on the person, Christ Jesus.  On the good and bad days Jesus remains the same—the author and perfecter of our faith.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).