Thursday, April 01, 2010

On God

Maundy Thursday, 2010.

I am once again in a cycle at work where I drive nearly every day deep into the heart of Michigan's "thumb." On my drive home, I pass houses, clumps of trees, patches of forest, barns, ranches, businesses ... and then, suddenly, this rural vista will open up. And for a few seconds, you can see the breadth of heaven and earth for, quite literally, miles. And it ... is ... just ... breathtaking. Of course, at that time of day I am usually the only car on the road, and that sense of solitude enhances the awesome.

It reminded me of an old Keith Green introduction to one of his songs. He relates how the Bible says the world was created in six days. I don't know if it was a literal six days or not. The scientists say no, the theologians say yes. But let's say that it was. The Bible also records Jesus telling us that he was going to Heaven to prepare a mansion for us there. So, if our supposition is true, all the splendor and majesty of this world - the trees, mountains, waterfalls, oceans - was created in six days ... and yet God has had 2000 years to work on that mansion.

I can't possibly imagine the glory of it all.

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ON GOD....

"Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed." (Robert H. Schuller)

"What is it that we all believe in that we cannot see or hear or taste or smell -- this invisible thing that heals all sorrows, reveals all lies and renews all hope? What is it that has always been and always will be, from whose bosom we all came and to which we will all return? Most call it Time. A few realize that it is God." (Robert Brault)

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." (St. Augustine)

"For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet ... shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us for so long?" (Rebecca Harding Davis)

"Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message." (Malcolm Muggeridge)

"God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand you have failed." (St. Augustine, again)


[with thanks to The Quote Garden]

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WISDOM for YOUR WEEK: "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

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3 comments:

SusanB said...

"For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet ... shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us for so long?" (Rebecca Harding Davis) ... This makes me weep with such joy,... and thanksgiving. So very astounding.

Your drives remind me of my comings and goings to and from work of late. I have the privelege of living in the DC Metro area, so I am surrounded by "The Cherry Trees" without having to go into the heart of DC to see them. Not only do the cherry blossoms abound this time of year in so many varieties, but BOY you should see the dogwoods! Yesterday I decided to take my camera to work with me and randomly click out the window on the way to and from... and hope I came up with something worth looking at. heh heh. (I have no idea what the results are/were, I was too busy driving, and I haven't checked the camera yet). All I know is, the view is of the sock-knocking-off variety. I mostly travel one of those small 2-lane back roads that doesn't get a lot of traffic on it, and I was blessed enough to not get anyone behind me and not a whole lot of people coming at me from the oposite direction. All to say.. yes, I understand. :)

P.S. Can you imagine even TRYING to count all the apples from a seed!?!? O_0

Mark said...

Susan ... get those pix developed! I'd love to see what you've got in that camera.

I have a series of about a baker's dozen photos uploaded to my Facebook account that I've taken with my cell phone camera while out and about on those drives.

Hmmm ... I think the photo gallery on my website could use some updating. Maybe I'll go and post them there.

Meanwhile, let me see some o'those pix!

SusanB said...

Great morning! =) And Okey dokey, I've loaded the pics into my computer, and I actually did come up with a handful that are worth looking at. (and several of the inside frame of the windshield, and I even got one of the dashboard! LOL!!). Watch your email box when you get the time. :) Please feel free to share at your leisure, if you think any of 'em are good enough. You have my official permission.