God With Us

     I suppose after my last somewhat cynical post I ought to write something a trifle brighter. I've had lots of ideas--as usual--but very little time in which to write them. This stretch between Christmas and New Years, however, is providing me with a little extra time and ample fodder about which to scribble.

     Over the course of December, I've particularly loved the fact that all the radio stations, both Christian and secular, play real worship music. It isn't the cheap kind that could be referring to a boyfriend if I swapped out God for a different masculine name. It doesn't praise God for the things He does for the massive ME planted right in the middle of the chorus in neon-bold. Many of the words belonging to the old carols come straight from scripture, thanking God for who He is--for being Salvation.

      I've been reading through Leviticus as well. It occurred to me today that they shared a common theme with the hymns playing everywhere.

Leviticus 26:1-2 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.


     As with the rest of the Bible, it reminds me that the LORD should be at the center of my life; the Rock of my salvation placed squarely in front of me daily with nothing else present. I ought to keep His sabbbaths not for the sake of legalism, but to put Him first in my week. I reverence His sanctuary because it represents a far greater throne room in my Father's house in eternity. I should love Him because He is so worthy of adoration.

     I greatly enjoy the imperfect practice of learning to worship here on earth. Moreso, however, I eagerly anticipate the constant "Christmas" of heaven in which I'll experience Emmanuel as just that--God with us--in a keener way than ever before. And of course, the brilliant praise music centuries of God-fanatical composers will have had infinite time to think up.

My Father

(Copyright Lucy Littleford)

     A friend recently mused aloud to me, did God make us to be pleased by creation or make creation to please us? I replied that I thought when God created, He put elements of His character into every piece of matter and so naturally we would be pleased by it. That's why He could say when He looked over it at the end of each day, He saw that it was good. It follows then as a matter of course, many of man's highest thoughts and noblest feelings would be stirred by observing nature--God's nature.

     That's part of what has drawn me into my field of study, I think. While I want to learn science to teach it and be able to make a stand for Biblical creation, I have enjoyed exploring a subject that fills me with awe and reference for my Father. Maybe I'm geeky for feeling most worshipful when I've got my bio textbook on one knee and my Bible on the other. I love writing scripture references in the margin of my textbooks and thinking of what wonderful truth there is that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in God's own image. Evolutionary ideas certainly cannot compare when it comes to having hope and purpose.

     With this all floating around in my head, I considered trying to hammer out a few lines of poetry. That used to be another pursuit of mine, but I've gotten a bit rusty of late. This is the raw concept that's been my meditation though...

My Father is the one who whispers to the plants to grow and flourish. (Genesis 1:11)
My Father is the one who chooses the garments of the lilies. (Matthew 6:29-30)
My Father is the one who stores up the snow until its appointed time. (Job 38:22)
My Father is the one who spoke light into existence and will banish darkness forever. (Genesis 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8)
My Father is the one who carries healing in His wings. (Malachi 4:2)

     My Father emboldens the timid with His strength, makes low the proud, judges all peoples. None can stand before His awesome righteousness or see His glory and live. He is great enough to hold all the waters of the earth in the palm of His hand, to make the earth to tremble at His presence. Yet He has created a universe in such detail that with all of the intellect with which man has been gifted over several thousand years, we cannot come to the end of it either on a massive or a minute scale.

     And He, the one who is the Author of it all, entered into time and made Himself a servant for the fallen race He had created. This, so He could restore fellowship with mankind and call us His children, giving me the privilege to call Him Father by way of describing more of His grace. He is the God to whom I belong, the one whose finger prints I get to study when I look through a microscope at bacteria or cells or whathaveyou.


"Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." Psalm 139:3-6


"Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." Psalm 33:8-11