“Made in the image”…

… “of God.”

Those words struck me as I listened to my Bible app this morning.

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

At times I’m too familiar with profound truth and I pass by without allowing it to time to steep.

Thankfully, this morning, God’s Word caused me to ponder.

Do I really understand what incredible gift God gave mankind when He created us in His image?

No other creation has this, just humans.

Being created in God’s image is an incredible gift, do I cherish it in myself?

Do I cherish it in others?

Have I not been heedless about my attitudes and actions towards others, disregarding they are made in God’s image?

With the damage of sin, which mars and twists what God created as good, it’s difficult to look on others and think, “They are created in God’s image”.

Misunderstanding, judgement, disgust, hurt, envy, and strife seem to come so much easier than respect and love.

No wonder God told us, from the beginning, not to sin.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Genesis 3:1 KJV

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 3:6 KJV

Even now, we easily become ensnared into evil through the work of the enemy and the desires of the flesh.

But God!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:16‭-‬17 KJV

God created mankind in His own image.

And it was good in the beginning.

But we chose sin.

So, God came as a man, to save all who would believe.

Wow.

People are sinful and God’s original goodness seems so scarce, but neither of these things change the incredible value God has placed on each and every human life.

We were created different from the animals.

We were created unique, even from the angels.

And my tiny understanding of God’s love for us should direct my attitudes and actions with regard to others.

Especially, since I was given the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus and as His follower, I have a responsibility to live in such a way as brings glory to God and the truth of salvation to others.

Not revering the creation above the Creator, but rather loving my Heavenly Father so much, that what He values I value.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for reminding me that all mankind is unique and created differently from any other creation. Lord, please continue to teach me how to value others, while still holding fast to Your truths and not falling into ignoring sin or passing it by as unimportant. Lord, You value Your people too much to allow them to do what is harmful and sin hurts us deeply, it separates us from You. Lord, please help me to have Your perspective, to understand Your will, and to walk with love and wisdom and truth. Lord, You alone, are our Savior and I praise Your holy name! Amen.

A flower is…

a beautiful testimony to God’s faithfulness.

These blossoms or the ones out in the field, each point back to the goodness of God.

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Matthew 6:28‭-‬30 KJV

Jesus used the frailty of the flower to teach us.

His handiwork is an everyday witness.

Romans 1:20 KJV — For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

May each heart be inspired by creation to walk in faith knowing God is trustworthy.

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:31‭-‬33 KJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your creation. Thank You for the beauty of a single flower, whether cultivated by people or wild. Thank You for the incredible witness of the universe and how intricate the designs of a single blade of grass. Lord, thank You for the truth of Your Word which gives us life. Thank You for the encouragement we see in Your scriptures, guiding us to live according to Your design, for You know how You created all things. Lord, thank You for Your love. Your sacrifice which paid for my sin. Thank You for Your love, which is beyond my comprehension. Lord Jesus, thank You for life. It is a beautiful gift. I love You, Jesus. Thank You for first loving me. Amen.

God, our Creator

Genesis 1:1 NKJV — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The Bible begins with this significant look at the beginning of what we know as our universe.

Nehemiah 9:6 KJV — Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

Not only did God make all things, the host of heaven worships the Lord.

John 1:3 KJV — All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

All of creation exists, because it was created by God.

Including mankind.

Psalm 139:13-14NKJV — For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

Thus, every single person not only belongs to God, they were formed by Him, in His image and all the universe testifies to His ability to create.

Although, through the fall (Gen. 3) creation was marred by sin, God’s creation still engenders awe.

Scripture states it clearly that God is our Creator and we can find true peace and fulfillment in turning our lives back to the One who gave us life.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for the truth of You creating us. Thank You that despite the stains and distortion of Your handiwork, all creation still points to You. Lord, I love that the Bible says the host of heaven worships You! Lord, as Your creation, as Your child, I add my worship and adoration. Lord, You are worthy. You are wonderful! You are my all! Amen.

Three days before Christmas

For these last few days let’s look at the One whose birthday we are celebrating.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:1‭, ‬3‭-‬5 NKJV

The One in a manger was the One at the beginning of creation.

Genesis 1:1 NKJV — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Jesus is part of the Trinity and was creating at the beginning of our history.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is  with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
I John 1:1‭-‬3 NKJV

The disciple John does not want anyone to miss the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

That through Him all things were made and by Him all mankind is saved.

And that he, himself was witness to the truth of the Gospel.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:9 NKJV

Jesus was no mere “good man”, nor was He simply a wise teacher, He was and is God.

His reason for coming to Earth was simple.

Acts 4:12 NKJV — “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Romans 1:16 NKJV — For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV — For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

It’s the greatest truth of all time.

His birth brought mankind the greatest gift anyone could ever want or need.

His death built a bridge to span the chasm between us and our holy God.

His resurrection brought us hope, a confident expectation of eternal life in Jesus.

He’s the best gift ever.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for all You have done to rescue us from sin. Thank You for being the greatest gift we can ever receive. Lord Jesus, You are the reason we celebrate. It is Your birthday we are remembering. It is You we are looking toward as we make plans and give gifts. Lord Jesus, You alone are the One Who saves us. This Christmas we want to honor You in all we do, in our actions, our attitudes, and our words. We praise Your holy name, Jesus. Amen.

Good morning

With the heat, I’ve been watering as early as possible.

So far the garden is rewarding my efforts.

I’m writing from the patio this morning.

My tea beside me and a few whisps of wind ruffling my hair.

The sun hasn’t gotten beyond the apple trees and the robins are hopping about the lawn.

One in particular seems to have figured out that when I water the worms are easier to find.

It often trails behind me as I move the sprinkler.

I don’t always see it, so pretty often I scare it, causing it to fly away, because I was focused on my own thoughts.

God’s creation causes me such times of reflection and wonder.

To see His handiwork in something so temporary as flowers.

Yet, He chooses to.

Matthew 6:30 KJV — Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Jesus’s words come alive in the garden.

Where is my faith if I allow myself to worry over needs?

Where is my heart if I allow myself to worry over anything which isn’t a need?

Where are my thoughts if I’m feeling worried?

My life is far more precious to Him than these flowers are to me.

And I find so much joy in caring for them.

How much joy does the Lord find in caring for me?

Psalm 139:17 KJV — How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

What joy!

To know the Lord is providing for my every detail.

To rest securely in His sovereign hand.

To walk with joy at just being loved by my Heavenly Father.

These are the things I’m learning in the garden this morning.

Praise the Lord!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for these lessons. At times I forget how to lean on You and why I don’t need to worry. I look at other things rather than focusing upon You. Please continue to patiently teach my wayward heart to have faith and trust. Please continue to speak to me through Your Word. Lord thank You for Your provision in all things. Please help me to hold life lightly, not setting my heart upon anything but You. Guard my desires and let them reflect Yours. Jesus, You are amazing. Thank You! Amen.

A lesson in perspective

Saturday, I had been putting something in my calendar and had a bit of a shock.

My sister-in-law’s shower is coming up.

“Oh no! Lord, I don’t have anything made for her. What am I going to make in the amount of time I have with my other projects unfinished?”

It’s incredible the gentle way He handles my heart.

Make a sweater,hat, and bag. And don’t worry, you have lots of time.

Because my brain spouts questions and doubting without the slightest hindrance, I responded:

“But Lord, I can’t possibly get all that done. I have these other things I have to do first. To do all that I’d need to stop my other projects.”

It’s alright. I will lead you.

All my concern melted.

“Yes, Lord. I’m sorry for being afraid.”

Later in the day I was busy working on a surprise for our granddaughter, my son-in-law walked in followed by the rest of the family.

Anne quietly removed the gift in progress.

Because I’m always crocheting when not doing anything else, I grabbed out some soft yarn and began working on the sweater.

It’s nearly finished.

It would have been done yesterday, but one piece has been super difficult.

I had to rip it out and restart three times.

The last time was this morning before church.

I couldn’t understand why it was giving me so much trouble.

My prayers turned to inquiry.

“God, why isn’t this working? You told me to make this. What am I doing wrong?”

Little one, you are trying to tackle this like an enemy to be overcome. I gave this to you to enjoy. It’s about the process and the finished result being a blessing. It’s not a challenge to conquer.

I had to apologise.

He’s taught me this lesson before.

There is fun in the doing.

He doesn’t want me to create just as a duty, but as a joy.

If it were only about getting a gift, I could buy something.

It’s so much more.

It’s about praying for the baby who will wear it.

It’s about loving the Creator who created both this baby and me.

It’s about learning more about Jesus as I create.

After all, the care and effort and joy I have in making something pales compared to His in making each of us.

And it’s an opportunity.

Creating something with the abilities God has taught me is a way to praise Him.

And I never want to miss that.

I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to finish it today.

But even if I don’t, I’m going to enjoy the process, not just the finished result.

Because life is so much deeper than the doing, the accomplished.

Life is truly about relationship.

I’m so thankful for my relationship with my Lord Jesus.

How amazing He is!

Sweater

My sweet children have lovingly warn the sweaters, hats, and other items I’ve made them all their lives.

Christmas brought me more yarn. (squeak!)

Before beginning, I’d asked the Lord what I should make out of this beautiful yarn.

So, I began this cardigan for Anne.

When it was finished Anne seemed pleased and I was blessed.

I’m currently working on a different cardigan for myself.

Both of these projects are a stretch since I’m using stitches I’m unfamiliar with.

Yet, it’s been good.

To stretch out of the easy way.

Learning something new and then practicing it till it because fluid is effort.

In crocheting it can be both frustrating and a bit humiliating.

With the project I’m busy with now, I’ve had to rip out and restart twice.

Years ago, I’d have likely given up and gone back to the easy way.

I had many reasons for such.

But this time is different.

I know God wants me to learn something new, no matter how long it takes.

Because there is more to learn than the new stitches.

I can experience wonder at seeing thousands of stitches form a garment from a skein of yarn.

I can find patience in being precise and careful with every hook and pull.

I can enjoy the process of creating, not just the finished product.

And I can pray.

While crafting my with my hands I can be lifting others up in prayer.

Especially if the garment is being fashioned for a particular person.

Like Anne’s sweater.

Many prayers were stitched along with the hooked yarn.

Prayers for her person, her future, her health, her…

It’s always a pleasure.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this next cardigan turns out.

Whether it’s done soon or takes me a long while, I pray it will continue to be an opportunity to learn.

And a reminder to pray.

For since the creation…

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,…” Romans 1:20a NKJV

What can we learn about God from creation?

It is vast.

The knowledge of Who God is can be seen far and wide.

Yet our perspective is often tainted.

We look at creation after the fall.

Our sins and those of them who came before have left a stain.

Yet, the wonders of creation are still there to behold.

How incredibly creative our Heavenly Father is!

When looking around at a crowd of children the variety is incredible.

Each child lovingly crafted by a loving Creator.

Travel.

Look past the lifestyle and just admire the creation of each person who passes.

Each person lovingly crafted by a loving Creator.

And not a single person is exactly like another.

Not even identical twins.

Every fingerprint is different.

Every DNA code unique.

What marvels have we yet to discover about the loving Creator through His intricate creation, mankind?

How does the mirror reflect another invisible attribute of a loving Creator?

Dear Jesus,

Please help me to walk in awe of You by looking at creation and understanding what Your attributes are. Thank You for every part of all that You have created. Open my mind and my heart to more of You, that I might glorify Your name and reflect Your wonderous attributes. That others might see and understand Who You really are.

Daisy chain

Easily thousands of small lawn daisies have been carefully selected to be woven into daisy chains.

From the first time of learning how to create a length of flower decoration my sister and I made many.

Our wrists, our hair, sometimes our necks would be dotted with the small white and yellow flowers.

My best friend in high school and I spent one afternoon in the school yard weaving chains while waiting for our ride.

I saved that chain for years as a reminder of the whimsy of youth.

After our girls were born I have woven them chains for their hair or wrists.

In all of this I have often been impressed that such tiny flowers, which grow without help of any human hand, can be so fun.

Why does God have these little flowers pop up every year?

What possible use are they, besides daisy chains?

I am convinced that it is because He loves beauty.

Look at pictures of the planets.

Stunning beauty in the incredible size of the solar system.

Look at the Cascade Mountains, the Grand Tetons or any mountain range and the gorgeous scenery leaves you breathless.

Even in the desert there’s picturesque colors and forms.

All of creation points to the wonders of God.

Even the weedy lawn He has decorated with daisies.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made,…” Romans 1:20a

What part of creation, (beaches, lakes, parks, camp grounds) have you loved?

(I know camp grounds and parks have been man made but man used God’s plants, trees, and waters to create.)

Before the weather changes to require being indoors I hope you are able to spend some time enjoying the creation.

As we do, let’s be sure to thank the Creator!