I completed today's eStudy Blog and opened my email. In my email was an email with a video from a wonderful friend from the other side of the country. That email included the attached video that inspired todays blog.)
Creation came about through creativity and inspiration of God Himself. He lovingly crafted the planets and stars, the seas and dry land. He lovingly created all kinds of species of animals, insects and things we cannot even see. The warmth and the glow of the sun by day and the brilliance of the moon by night were more of His imagination and love.
He saw that all He created was wonderful and pure. He also knew He had not created anyone to share Creation with, so He created man and woman. He placed them in His garden to share all He had done with them. He joined them in fellowship and they loved one another. God loved every snail, bird, fish, blade of grass, cloud in the sky, ray of the sun and the man and the woman.
Through the lies of a serpent, man fell and was cast from the garden. Sin became a part of Creation from then on. But here is a part that maybe we don't recognize.
Because of man's fall, we see this in Romans 8:20-22 NLT; "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." What we may have previously missed is that, "ALL" creation was subjected to the curse, not just mankind.
We see trees and plants die and pass away. We see bushes and vegetables infercted with disease. We see animals lying dead from sickness. We hear of stars burning out and pollution being spread into space by our junk. All around us there is death, pain, suffering and disease. If we look to the ground we see it there. If we go into the sea, we see it there. If we launch ourselves into space, it is also there. All around us, all creation suffers the curse of the fall. In the midst of all this death, how do we see the loving hand of God that created it all? How do we see past the misery and sadness we experience each day? In our own times of hardship, sickness, death and despair, is it hard for us to understand God still loves us? After all this time and after all the events and lack of care that changed and damaged Creation, God still loves as He did then. There is no doubt He loves us and all He has made.
Take a moment and click on the You Tube video link below for an answer to those questions.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/auSo1MyWf8g?rel=0
Somehow in the midst of all the death, pain and suffering because of the curse, life as it was meant to be still goes on. Creation, beautiful and lovely is still around us every day. Somehow, even though there is a curse on creation, God still manages to show His love for us and for what He has made. He spoke creation into existence to be our world and to fill us with joy and happiness. He created us out of love and gave us a magnificent home to show us how much He loves us.
With that video in mind, how can any of us question His love for us and Creation? Even now, He still expresses His love for us through nature. When we sat back and watched that video, did a smile come across your lips? Did you feel a moment of relaxation and contentment? I did!
No matter what might be going on in my life right now, I was filled with a joy, a happiness, a confidence that God is still there working to one day fully bring creation back to the splendor it once was. He manages to show us in a rainbow, a mother bird feeding her babies, a deer cuddling with a cat in a back yard.
Ponder these things and remember to tell God you love Him. Remember to thank Him for all He has made and for the care with which He watches over it all. Remember to pause often to see the beauty of the world around you. Perhaps, we can all find the time to care a little more for what He has made and let the joy of acknowledging it fill our hearts. For you know, when He placed us in the garden and here on earth, He gave us the responsibility of being it's caretakers. Part of why we are here is to care of what He loves so much and that includes this planet and one another.
Love what God loves, love God and love one another. Rest assured that one day all will be restored to a magnificence we cannot even imagine.