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The word “magnificent” is hardly adequate to describe the universe in which we live. Astronomers and others who study the cosmos are awed not only by its vastness but by its beauty. People may disagree about the origin of the universe, but very few would deny that it is “glorious.”
Throughout history, thoughtful people have seen that the magnificence of the world is hard to explain except on the grounds that it was created by a Creator — a Creator who was both immensely powerful and wise. The Scriptures begin with the simple affirmation that in the beginning “God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), and this simple truth has commended itself to millions of people for thousands of years. No more reasonable explanation for the world has ever been given.
But the heavens and the earth tell us not only that God exists; they also give us some hints as to the kind of God the Creator is. The things God has created show His glory. David, who as a young shepherd would have had many opportunities to look at the night sky, said it this way: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psa. 19:1).
The apostle Paul used some strong language when he said that those who deny God are making a mistake that is “without excuse.” Anyone who has looked at the world around him has seen plenty of evidence for God. “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:19,20). When the time comes for our judgment before God, there will be no one who can say, “I had no way of knowing there was a God.”
As we meditate this week on the glory of God and His creation, let’s think seriously about these things. Rather than let the wonders of the universe go by unnoticed, let’s stop and look intently. Not even the most powerful evidence for God can convict us if we don’t give it a chance to sink in. So let’s allow ourselves to be impressed with the beauty and majesty of what God has made. It truly is an amazing habitat in which God has placed us. In every sense of the term, it is “glorious.” This week, let’s respond rightly to the glory of its Maker.
Monday: Genesis 1:1
Key Idea: God created the heavens and the earth.
Questions for Family Growth: Is it reasonable to think that the world just happened to come into being, without any creator? In Hb. 11:3, what is meant when it says that “by faith” we understand the creation of the universe by God?
Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 28:13.
Tuesday: Proverbs 8:22–31
Key Idea: Wisdom was with God when He created the world.
Questions for Family Growth: How would you define “wisdom” as it relates to God? What are some things about the world that show the wisdom of its Creator? Is it important for us to use wisdom in our stewardship and use of God’s creation?
Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 28:14.
Wednesday: Isaiah 40:21–26
Key Idea: God is the sovereign Ruler of His creation.
Questions for Family Growth: As inhabitants of a world that God has made, do we have the power to do anything that would overthrow God’s rule? What does the word “reverence” mean? Does God have the right to tell us what we may do and not do?
Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 28:15.
Thursday: Romans 1:18–21
Key Idea: Through God’s creation, we can learn of His power and His deity.
Questions for Family Growth: Why did Paul say that those who deny God are “without excuse”? In v.20, what two things about God can be inferred from His creation? In v.21, in what two ways did the disobedient fail to respond to God?
Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 28:16.
Friday: Psalm 19:1–6
Key Idea: The heavens and the earth declare the glory of God.
Questions for Family Growth: In what ways do the heavens “declare” God’s glory? Why do you think the starry heavens at night make such a powerful impression on us? Do you think it would help us to observe the heavens more often and more thoughtfully?
Wisdom for the Day: Proverbs 28:17.
Gary Henry — WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
