Abundance, Variety and Order

Technology and innovation are remarkable. But they are nothing in comparison to the things designed by God. He has created a world filled with extravagant abundance, variety and order. Have you ever stopped to ponder, as you cleaned the seeds from a pumpkin, how many pumpkins might be produced from that single one? And how many such seed-producing pumpkins might grow on a single vine? The same principle holds true for wheat, and apples, and blueberries.

And did you ever wonder why God did not just create one type of everything—one type of tree, or even one type of apple? Why should there be endless types of things—of fruits or flies? And isn’t it remarkable that God’s design should not be diminished, but in fact enhanced, the more closely a thing is examined? One could spend a lifetime studying the properties of leaves, or roots or cells (those endless arrays of engines, neatly arranged and delicately sustaining all living things).

That God is a God of order is seen everywhere. Precision and pattern are strands woven into all His works. The curve of a seashell is mirrored in a flower. The same mathematical formula operates in the curve of fingerprints, hurricanes, and galaxies. And yet within these ordered principles lie the vast abundance, variety, and uniqueness of every created thing.

Look! And look again! For therein may be seen some wonderful quality of God.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NIV)

Philippians 1:12-25, Maggie's Paraphrase

I am attempting to re-write some difficult passages, in an effort to grapple with the meaning and tone of these messages. I have taken liberties with the text, so please take them with a grain of salt. I welcome your comments or your version of a paraphrase in reply.

Philippians 1:12-25
It is important that you know that what has happened to me has really been the providential will of God, and is in fact providing opportunity for the advancement of the gospel. The whole palace guard and everyone here is now awakened to the reality that I am here in chains in the service of Christ. In fact, my being in chains has actually encouraged most of our brothers in the Lord to deliver the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly than ever.

There are some men, who, perhaps wishing to match what they suppose to be my “religious devotion”, preach the gospel out of envy and rivalry, but there are others who continue to preach out of goodwill. Those last do so in love, because they know that I am put here because I am a defender of the faith. The envious preach Christ for the sake of getting attention or power—not sincerely. Some who despise me even hope to increase my grief. This, by stirring up more trouble while they suppose I lay helpless in my enemies’ hands. But it doesn’t matter why men are preaching. The important thing is that in every way, according to the providential will of God, Christ is preached, both from false motive and from true. And so, I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, because I know that your prayers and the help of the Holy Spirit will result in my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will have no cause for shame, but that Christ will grant me sufficient courage to continue to glorify Him despite my human frailty (whether in life or in death). For in life, my aim is for Christ continually. But, to die is to receive and be received by Him. Still, as long as I live, I have opportunity to bear fruit. So which is better? I don’t know. I am torn between the two. I long to leave this world to be with Christ (which is far better), but for your needs’ sake I am compelled to remain . Yes, I am convinced that I will remain among you, striving for your spiritual development and joy.

A Question of Confidence

I have been struggling with the issue of confidence for some time. Whenever I think I might have something valuable to say, inner voices shake me to silence with questions of my knowledge, my wisdom, my authority, or my fallibility. And for the most part, I have succumbed to these voices, finding myself wholly unfit to speak when I am so far from maturity in Christian growth. But curiously, the compulsion to write has grown despite all my efforts to squelch it.

What does God desire from me? I am quite certain of my own capacity for error. I cannot imagine what God could say through me that He could not say better through a thousand other people.

Yet, perhaps it is not so much the need of God to speak through me as it is my need to speak of God. In his book, The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, John Piper tells of Calvin’s passion for preaching. He asserts that the glory and majesty of God in His Word “cries out for expository exultation.” Likewise, I think, our deepening appreciation of Christ fills some mysterious place within us to overflowing, so that we are compelled to exult God in speech, or song, or in an art of some kind.

But what can be said that has not been said? And what good can come of saying it all again? N.T. Wright, in his book, Simply Christian, speaks of God’s use of varying personalities to convey His message. He says,

“...writers, compilers, editors, and even collectors of scripture were people who, with different personalities, styles, methods, and intentions, were nonetheless caught up in the strange purposes of the covenant God—purposes which included the communication, by writing, of His word.”

Therefore, shouldn’t we all desire to bear witness to Christ through our own unique talents, producing ever new and unique reflections of the glory of God as revealed to us?

And so I face my fears: that my art may be mediocre, or that I may say something that will lead another astray, or that my ignorance may become all the more apparent. But if Christ will accept my dullest work, how can I withhold it? No book is infallible except the Word of God. And as long as I set my ignorance before me, it will serve as a reminder of my dependence upon Christ.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Co. 4:13-15)

Chief End of Man

“What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism)

I used to think of the answer to that question as an obligation—that it is our duty to glorify God. And I still believe this is true. But there is a deeper truth—that as we come to know God, as we begin to grasp who He is, we are pierced, again and again, with awe and wonder and humility and gratitude. We are filled up to overflowing, and we cannot contain it. Glorifying God becomes less a duty and more a spontaneous reaction. And if that is true here on earth where we can barely glimpse Him, imagine how full our hearts will be, how overflowing and full of spontaneous praise we will be when He is before us!