The Heavens Praise Him

The sun, the moon, the stars, the solid rocks, the flowing stream, the broad, restless ocean, teach lessons that all would do well to heed.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 190.

Nature is full of lessons of the love of God. Rightly understood, these lessons lead to the Creator. They point from nature to nature’s God, teaching those simple, holy truths that cleanse the mind, and bring it into close touch with God.

The great Teacher calls on nature to reflect the light that floods the threshold of heaven, that men and women may be led to obey His Word. And nature does the bidding of the Creator. To the heart softened by the grace of God, the sun, the moon, the stars, the lofty trees, the flowers of the field, utter their words of counsel and advice. The sowing of the seed carries the mind to spiritual seed-sowing. The tree stands forth declaring that a good tree cannot bear evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bear good fruit…. As Christ tells us the meaning of the things in nature, the science of true religion flashes forth, explaining the relation of the law of God to the natural and the spiritual world.

The swallow and the crane observe the changes of the seasons. They migrate from one country to another to find a climate suitable to their convenience and happiness, as the Lord designed they should. They are obedient to the laws which govern their life. But the beings formed in the image of God fail to honor Him by obeying the laws of nature.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 188, 189.
With God at Dawn p. 339
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Prayer Requests
—-I am Requesting Prayers for a Dear Friend Lenora who is having an issue with Insomnia. Cheryl
—-Please pray for our baby who has RSV and is in the hospital. Shanae
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Dear Friends,

Five-year-old children have a lot of energy and I was no exception. Unfortunately, I used some of my excess energy by swinging my legs sideways at the dinner table. This annoyed my mother very much, as she sat beside me. No matter how many times she would tell me to sit completely still, I would soon be wiggling again even though I tried to obey.

One day she thought of a plan to cure me of my wiggles. After having warned me to sit still, she waited until my attention was on something else. Then she put a dinner fork under her leg with the tines sticking out towards me. I had not seen her do it because I had (and still have) the bad habit of being unaware of anything transpiring around me whenever I am concentrating on something or deep in thought.

Soon I was swinging my legs again. It wasn’t long until I felt a sharp pain. Surprised, I stopped swinging my legs for a while. After a few minutes, I forgot all about what had just happened and I was back to my old habit again. Again, I felt a sharp pain. I looked down and saw the fork. I felt betrayed. Tears welled up in my eyes to think that my mother would do such a thing to me, but the punishment was effective. Never again did I swing my legs at the dinner table. I had learned my lesson.

As I grew older, I learned that there are always consequences resulting from our actions. These choices, or these habits those choices become, can affect the rest of our life. Sadly, we often make choices without really thinking things through, but the consequences are still there. Sometimes the effects of our decisions are minor and we hardly give them a second thought. Sometimes the results cause us distress for the rest of our life.

There is one choice, however, that everyone who has ever lived must make. This choice has eternal consequences. When Joshua was coming to the end of his life, he gathered together the children of Israel and reminded them of God’s great mercy in bringing them out of Egypt. He recounted God’s parental dealings with them and their fathers. Then he brought them to a decision, the consequence of which would decide the whole course of the nation as well as of each individual. He said, “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-16

As with one voice the people chose to serve God that day, however, within a very few generations, their descendants forgot God’s mercy and chose to be like the nations around them. Their choice brought great misery upon themselves nationally as well as individually. Finally, many centuries later, when they cried, “We have no king but Caesar” “His blood be on us, and on our children,” they were calling for consequences the likes of which they never dreamed nor would they desire had they thought things through. John 19:15; Matt 27:25 In His Great Mercy, our Loving Redeemer gave them another three-and-one-half years from that point to repent and turn back to Him. Sadly, most refused, and Israel was rejected as a nation although individuals could still be saved. The time of their probation as a nation was fulfilled. (see Dan 9:24-27) From that point (A.D. 34), the gospel spread to the Gentiles. How little did they realize the weight of their words when they called for His Blood to be upon them. History has revealed how terrible the results of their crucifying the King of the Universe were.

We, too, have decisions to make. We, too, make daily choices that affect the whole course of our life. We, too, must choose to serve our Dear Saviour, or to reject Him. With tears in His voice, Jesus pleads, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Eze 33:11; Matt 11:28; Rev 3:20

May we come to the foot of the cross today and accept His Great Sacrifice. May we give our heart, our life, our all to the One Who loves us by allowing Him to mold us according to His will. May we daily choose to make Him our Saviour and Guide for He has promised, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ps 32:8

Rose