The Circle Of The Earth

"Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"

                                                                                    (Isaiah 40:21-22 KJV)

The night sky in the Upper Peninsula is absolutely awesome! Sparkling stars to numerous to count appear so close to the earth that one can imagine planes flying overhead have the ability to fly around them. Like a curtain the star studded sky fills the heavens from horizon to horizon whose shadows are seen by the brilliant light of the moon and the stars. 

Like the stars, the hills on the horizon appear very close giving the impression that one is standing on the top of a very small globe; upon the circle of the earth. We are. No matter where we are. We are at the top of the world and the Creator stands with us beside us and before us. The Creator is there and yet He is above all things created.

The earth in comparison to the universe; in comparison to the galaxies of God's creation is very small. Those heavens He created are so immense that we cannot even begin to fathom them. Like grasshoppers, we are in comparison to the Creator who stretched the heavens as a curtain so immense that we cannot  even begin to comprehend it. 

No, we cannot understand how or why He has done all that He has done. We just look at the sun and the moon and the stars. We gaze out at the horizon and know that even as he created the circle of the earth, He created all things. He created us.

All glory belongs to the One who created the heavens and the earth!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Prosper The Work Of Our Hands

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and prosper for us the work of our hands—
    O prosper the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:17

 

The word prosper is often misunderstood. It does not always mean rich in material assets all of the time. To prosper also means to be successful at whatever endeavor one might undertake. We can prosper spiritually or emotionally or intellectually. To prosper means to be fruitful. As a transitive verb it means to be strong and to thrive.

 

The work of our hands is not just for our prosperity; but, in accordance with the will of God to help others, as well. For a homeless person or someone who has lost their home to a natural or man-made disaster things such as food baskets or hand-make quilts or even a tent to give them some shelter, can make one feel like they are not alone in the world; that someone does care; and that they are loved.

 

May God bless the work of our hands that we might be fruitful in all that we do according to His will. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.

                            (Psalm 91 NIV)

May the Lord our God be with you now and always to save you from the times of trouble and deliver you to the safely to the shelter of the home that he has prepared for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Like Grasshoppers We Sit Upon the Circle Of The Earth

The earth's inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?    Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
    and spreads them like a tent to live in..."
Isaiah 40:21

I've always wondered why Columbus had to prove the earth was round. How could they not have known? Had they not read scripture? Had they not read Isaiah in Columbus' day? It is clear, at least, to me that the circle of the earth refers to the globe shaped planet that we live on under the protective canopy of the ozone layer.

We, are so very proud of our scientific achievements and advancements. But, in reality, we know nothing; we understand so very little, when we consider all that God has done.  We truly have not understood all that there is to understand. We, are not so unlike the grasshoppers, knowing nothing, hopping about like we do; yet, totally dependent upon the providence of God. In a moment the circle of earth could disappear and the curtains of heaven could be pulled back. What then? What happens when we stand without these things before the One who created all things?

May God give us a heart to understand His Word, His will for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

 

Old Tents, Young Spirits

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." 2 Corinth 4:16

As time passes in this world, life around us changes; life within us changes. As we grow older these old tents that we dwell within waste away. But, the spirit within continues to be renewed day be day.

I have reached the big 6 - 0. On most days it seems that the days are not long enough. I no longer can accomplish as much as I could a decade or so ago in the same amount of time. I am a bit slower than I once was. On some days my eyes are so weak that I cannot see who is at the back of the sanctuary. I wake each morning, with various parts of my body aching, just another reminder that the body is wearing out. Yet, as an elder once told me, "As long as I don't look in the mirror, I still feel young."

Indeed, we, who believe that Jesus died so that we might live in our Father's house, are very young no matter how many years we live in this world. The body may wear out and die; but, the children of God have eternal life. So what is a mere 60 years in all of eternity? Nothing! We are but babes wandering through the wilderness, day by day, with our faces directed toward the promised land.

Thanks be to God; for His mercy is great! He will lead us home. 

God's Peace - Pr. J