Creation speaks

Sometimes the Word of God and the situation that I’m in make literal obedience laughably difficult. I’m sitting near a wall of windows in an A-frame chalet with an unobstructed view of the Rocky Mountains, tall pine trees, and incredibly fresh clean air.

It is raining, but the space inside is lovely too, a large stone-face fireplace, cedar walls, lots of light, nice paintings on the wall, comfortable furniture and a few of my own quilts tossed here and there. This is a wonderful place for a vacation.

Then God tells me not to set my mind on this. Oh my, as I look around, how can I not think about what I see?

The verse is from Colossians 3:1-3. That passage says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

The context is really not about the beautiful creation God has made. The things He doesn’t want me to think about are stuff like “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” A few verses later He adds “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language” and lies.

The reason He says this to me is because I have “put off the old (wo)man with (her) deeds, and have put on the new (wo)man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created (her).” Once I was pulled aside from thoughts of God, holiness and eternal things because I was dead to those things. My spirit had no connection to God and was not responsive or interested in “things above.”

However, when Christ appeared and moved into my life, all that changed. He quickened or made alive my spirit and now I can think of things above, which does not mean tall trees and high mountains! In fact, I know that one day the glory that I will experience with Him in eternity will be greater than the glory that I see out these windows.

Does all of this mean that I’m not to enjoy my view or think about it? Of course not. The Bible also says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1) and that “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20).

Many enjoy the scenery around them without thinking about the One who created it. They look at the mountains and trees almost in adoration, as if they appeared all by themselves. I don’t want to get into a discussion of creation vs. evolution, but the Bible also says that “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3).

By faith, I know that what I see out these windows was formed by the One whom I cannot see. He spoke the world into existence and did a remarkable job of making it very nice to look at. By getting away from most of which is manmade and lifting my eyes to what He has created, I am startled once again by His incredible power and His creative sense and ability. The God who can do all this is definitely on my mind.