God’s Nature

I recently planted sunflowers and realized the nature of the great outdoors reflects God’s nature. Consider the seasons: there’s an objective order to them—it’s always hottest in the summer, and birds migrate to warmer places in the fall. There’s a rightand wrong time for things to happen. Yet there’s also a flexibility. For example, there aren’t set days for sunflowers to bloom. Although it would be wrong for them to bloom in winter (because they would freeze), they could pop their heads up any day of mid-summer or fall.This is a lot like God’s commands. While His standards of righteousness are just and objective, there is more than one way to follow God faithfully. For example, God commands His people to honor their parents (Exodus 20:12). Objectively, you shouldn’t kill your parents or be otherwise hateful. But, graciously, God doesn’t say you have to serve them breakfast in bed every day to fulfill His command to honor parents. You might help fix their car instead—there’s no one set way to show honor.But even so, we all break God’s objective standards. We all sin. Yet, He has made it possible for us to receive a clean slate. God extends mercy to us through Jesus. Because Jesus paid for our sin by dying on the cross and rising from the dead, everyone who puts their trust in Him can be forgiven. Our sin separated us from God, but because of what Jesus has done, we can be with God again—our loving Creator who is both just and gracious.There are other touches of God’s nature on earth. The relationship between husband and wife is meant to show how Jesus and the church love each other (Ephesians 5:21-33). The relationship between parents and children is meant to show God’s protection and nurturing (Matthew 7:9-11). Our thirst for water reminds us of our desperate need for God (Psalm 63:1).This whole world is meant to reflect and glorify God and remind us of His love. Sadly, it is broken with sin, and so the pictures it’s supposed to paint are often distorted. Some spouses divorce. Some parents are abusive. Some water gets polluted. But this does not mean that God is not good or His love for us is not sure; rather, these things all point to the tragedy of sin. As Christians, we know Jesus will one day return and make all things well, and we will see His glory in a whole new way. • Lizzie Joy• How can looking at God’s creation help us learn more about Him? The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Job.12.7-Job.12.10|Rom.1.20|Ps.19.1