Jonathan Edwards: Loved by the Creator

On October 5, 1703, in East Windsor, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards was
born—the son of Timothy Edwards, a pastor, and Esther Edwards, his wife.
Young Jonathan soon found himself surrounded by ten sisters, who—because of
their average height of six feet—came to be identified by the townsfolk as
Timothy’s sixty feet of daughters.

.

Jonathan was a gifted child and progressed easily through his father’s
rigorous home schooling and, at a young age, came to trust Jesus Christ as
his Savior. From very early on, Jonathan was concerned about his
relationship with God. At times, he worried about the possibility that he
was not converted. His diary provided

him a tool for examining what God had done in his life. As he approached
his nineteenth birthday, he even wrote his “Resolutions,” a series of
instructions for life and guidelines for personal examination. For
Jonathan, these resolutions became a spiritual discipline that encouraged
him in his walk with Christ and were one of two great interests in his
young life.

.

The second area of young Jonathan’s interest was the creation around him.
He was fascinated with the star-studded sky and God’s bountiful display
laid out in nature. As he walked daily in the densely wooded New England
countryside, he would spend hours contemplating the intricacies of a spider
web or the wonders of creation all around him.

.

But Jonathan’s curiosity and delight in God, His works, and His world
lingered long beyond his teenage years. Edwards entered Yale College at age
thirteen, later graduated with a master’s degree, and was eventually called
to pastor a church in Northampton, Massachusetts.

.

Like Jonathan Edwards, we as Christians can take great comfort in God’s
love for us in Jesus, reveling in the beauty of the universe He made and
knowing that He walks alongside us no matter what challenges we face in our
walk with Him. • Mark Congrove

.

• Jonathan Edwards grew in his faith by reflecting on his Creator while
spending time in nature. Consider setting aside time each day to think
about the wonders of creation. What are some ways you could take notice of
some of the small details God included in His world?

.

• Read Philippians 4:8 and Ephesians 5:15-17. How can setting goals further
our walk with Jesus?

.

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as
wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians
5:15-16 (CSB)

Read Verses:

1Tim.4.7-1Tim.4.8|Eph.5.15-Eph.5.16