Psalm 95:3-5 - For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.
We begin where all created things had their beginning. As we confess our faith in the words of the Apostles' Creed, we begin with the words, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." God is our Creator, our Maker. In His hand He holds the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains, and everything in between. The sea and dry land are His because He made them. He created human beings, male and female, in His image, making "from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26b).
Many people refuse to acknowledge God as their Creator, refusing to admit that God even exists. As fallen human beings, we like to think of ourselves as "self-made." In sinful pride we do not want to be responsible to the Maker who created us. We do not want to give account of our actions or admit our shame and guilt to our Creator. We would rather, as sinners, exchange "the truth about God for a lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator" (Romans 1:25b). We prefer to serve and worship ourselves and other created things.
God our Creator loves the world He made. He sent His Son into the world as the Savior, the Son who was and is God, the Word through whom all things were made (see John 1:1-3). Jesus, God the Son, took on human flesh and lived in the world that was made through Him and for Him. He came to suffer and die as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven and our relationship to our Creator is restored. We joyfully confess our belief that God is our almighty Father and "the maker of heaven and earth."
God continues to care for the world He made. He causes rain to fall and crops to grow. "He determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names" (Psalm 147:4). It was God's plan, through Jesus Christ, "to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20b). Our crucified and risen Lord sends us out to all nations, to a world full of the people He created and loves, to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Jesus' Name. As the apostle Paul wrote, "We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20a). This is our appeal: Repent and believe in Jesus. Be reconciled to God, your Creator and Redeemer!
WE PRAY: Almighty Father, help me to speak and live in ways that bring glory to You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. What do you love most about your favorite outdoor locale?
2. How has God shown He loves the world He has created?
3. Why is the idea of divine creation a difficult thing for many to accept?
Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 14-15 2 Timothy 1
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