Promises, Promises
Wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles, our crab apple tree outside of the kitchen window has small tender leaves emerging.
This morning it was so lovely with the bright red cardinals.
This time of the year we look around at the budding flowers, grass beginning to turn green, and the many other promises of spring. We don’t often stop to wonder at the miracle of life and its renewal. It happens automatically without any input from us.
My father-in-law used to quip, ‘I think I’ve lost control of the weather’, and of course, we’d all laugh. I have used that phrase as well and it has not failed to bring about a chuckle.
The seasons roll around right on cue, the day, the night, all of the wonders we take for granted come around on their given schedule. Primitive cultures often built their feasts and rituals around the cyclical nature of nature itself.
Most of us never stop to think about these promises. We accept the blessings without thought. Many in our society are nurtured by grocery stores, clothing stores, and mall stores. Disclaimer here I made up the last item since being informed by a granddaughter about ‘malls with stores where you can find anything, like a girl’s dream’.
I might have burst her delusion when I told her that yes, there were many stores with all sorts of things, but the people there expected you to pay for things, they didn’t give them away…
Yet in this country, we haven’t had to suffer from droughts. Going to the mall in America is nothing like going to the bazaar or market in Africa. The year 2020 was the closest we’ve come to shortages. There were a few times Old Fuzzy went to the grocery for bread and there wasn’t any on the shelves.
That is not normal here, neither were any of the other shortages in our stores last year. Our abundance of products often amazes citizens of other countries who are visiting our shores.
Mostly we don’t see our blessings. When we wake up to a beautiful sunrise or enjoy a beautiful sunset or the other beauties around us we enjoy these things for free. Beginning today let us be thankful to God.
The Apostle Paul tells his audience:
Acts 14:
15 “and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is
16 who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways.
17 And yet He left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.
We enjoy the blessings of God while here on this earth, but God doesn’t promise us life eternal here on this earth. After this life, we will either go on to spend eternal life with God in his prepared place for people who have prepared to live in that place or we will depart from the blessings of God. For some reason too many people have sadly been led to believe in death everyone will wake up in a better place.
Other than vile reprobates the popular view is everyone is going to heaven no matter what their views here on earth. God doesn’t promise that. “For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Satan has been very busy.
Even primitive cultures could look at the world around them and know that there is a god. Though their conception of Him may have been warped they were wise enough to believe in a god. We tend to believe that we are much smarter than they yet our view has only changed from a god to ourselves as a god.
But we are only in rebellion and need to turn back to God who created all things.
Act 17:
30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:
31 inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
