December 3, 2021 – Click here to listen
Yesterday I left home long before daylight in my boat heading for the Bahamas and some fishing. It was pitch black dark and I had to use radar and a huge light recently installed on my boat to get out of the harbor. Once in the open ocean, I turned off the light and we cruised in the inky blackness of the night traveling 45 miles per hour through the open sea for the two-hour trip.
Just prior to arriving I noticed the moon that was a burnt-orange sliver in the black sky began rising. In a few minutes, the entire horizon started turning burnt-orange and red as the sun began appearing. It was breathtaking. After a very long day of fishing, we headed back and when we were still about 15 miles offshore the sun slowly sank on the horizon. As it did, we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever witnessed. The sky was tropical blue, and the clouds were once again reflecting an orange/red palette of complementary colors that put me in touch with God in a way I haven’t often experienced.
I remarked to a buddy, “I don’t see how anyone could deny the existence of God. Just look at His creation!” This morning I was studying Jeremiah chapter 10. It concerned building idols and the idiocy of worshipping them. Imagine worshipping a block of wood from a tree that was carved into an idol and decorated with gold and silver.
They knew of the true God but rejected Him for a stupid manmade idol. It makes one stop to ponder WHY???? Jeremiah wondered about this too.
Jeremiah said, There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power. Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood! . . .
I wrote to my Bible study partner this morning: “In this chapter, God exposes idols as worthless attempts to create a substitute for Him. Why people do that is beyond me. Who wants a counterfeit cheap imitation when they can have the real thing? A lunatic? Manmade idols didn’t create the earth or the heavens, God did! I believe it goes back to the Garden when the urge to be like God was proffered by Satan.
Jeremiah correctly said, “O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself”. He realized that he too was a sinner and asks God to correct him, but with justice. It’s all we need to do my friend, we confess, repent, and thank God almighty for Jesus.”
Every last one of us is weak in some manner, but God . . . Memorize this verse 2 Cor. 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
In the final analysis, the heavens declare the Glory of God – Our lives should be about infinite God and not finite earth and its fleeting “treasure”.
Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge . . .
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!