The real thing

Today: Jeremiah 51-52

Tonight I drove home into a painting...well, a God-designed painting of sunlight and mountains and oceans and clouds. It was one of those absolutely stunning days when God's creation was shining in its glory.

It's crazy to me that people think all the Earth's beauty popped up out of an explosion of gases. Today was one of those days when the creative force of our Creator was so obvious to me. Perhaps that's why this section of today's passage stood out:

By his power he made earth.

His wisdom gave shape to the world.

He crafted the cosmos.

He thunders and rain pours down.

He sends the clouds soaring.

He embellishes the storm with lightnings,

launches the wind from his warehouse.

Stick-god worshipers look mighty foolish!

god-makers embarrassed by their handmade gods!

Their gods are frauds, dead sticks—

deadwood gods, tasteless jokes.

They're nothing but stale smoke.

When the smoke clears, they're gone.

But the Portion-of-Jacob is the real thing;

he put the whole universe together...

I love that God is called "the real thing" (long before Coca-Cola!). He's not a created being, shaped by the hands or minds of man. He's the Creator--our master designer.

I also think it's interesting that this excerpt was included in today's passage--a section of the book of Jeremiah that describes the fulfillment of prophesy: the exile of God's people to Babylon. I love that through it all, God's creative design for humanity was at work. He was always there, always dreaming of the day His people would come home.

Tomorrow: Lamentations 1-3:36

Designed by God

Today: Psalm 133-139

I like watching and reading about creative people--particularly designers, artists and builders. It's fascinating to watch shows where a creative person takes nothing and makes it into something pretty spectacular--whether it's a canvas, some fabric or a run-down piece of property.

After watching an hour or 30 minutes of a TV show featuring such creativity, I often have a moment when I'm just amazed at what's been created in front of my eyes. This morning I was watching a show where a guy designed a chandelier for a basketball fundraiser...out of hula hoops. Amazing!

And if we can admire a well-designed room, dress, or building--why is it that many people struggle to admire their well-designed selves? Or the God-built wonders in other people?

I love this portion of today's passage where David expresses his wonder at God's human creation:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!

God, I'll never comprehend them!

I couldn't even begin to count them—

any more than I could count the sand of the sea.

Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!

It's really sad to think that we often believe and say belittling things like, "I'm ugly" or "I'm stupid" or "I don't measure up" about ourselves or our fellow human beings. The next time you think or hear such comments, take a moment and realize, "Hey! That's a God design I'm talking about!" God is a creative genius--and the creative genius who made you just the way you are.

Tomorrow: Psalm 140-145