Rest in the Lord

I know a person that struggles, as of late, regarding the vastness of the universe in relation to planet earth.  Seven Billion, Eight Hundred and Forty-Six Million people live on this speck of dust, figuratively speaking.  In contrast to the myriad of planets, stars, and countless galaxies around us, the earth pales in comparison.  It gives a feeling of insignificance or irrelevance if we allow our mind to dwell upon such things.

With all the knowledge humanity has gleaned from studying the cosmos surrounding us, amid the discoveries made, it still boggles the mind when considering the vastness of space.  As further breakthroughs are made, these new findings amaze some explorers to the point of becoming even more enamored in their work and in themselves with regards to self-achieved greatness, usually in their own mind.  Thus, naming stars and planets after themselves.  Perhaps this is the norm.

Let’s face it, if anyone has the right to feel delighted about creation, it’s the Creator Himself.  God said, “It is good!”

How is it that our brain still flip-flops when thinking about time and space, and yes, the wonders of God’s creation?  With all the magnificent findings that star-gazers have made through the years, the brain can only compute to a certain level, but then hits a brick wall of understanding.   

It is beyond our natural ability to grasp the how and why of the exquisite beauty around us, yet in all of God’s creation He knows each one of us by name and loves us dearly.

Perhaps you too have tried to figure out the origin of God with the following questions, “Where did God come from?  How was He created and what brought Him into existence?”

When gazing into the firmament at night, I ask myself, “When did it all begin?”  My mind does funny things as I try to seize, for a moment, the majesty of it all.  It is far beyond my understanding the handy work of a supreme being.

The Bible says that in the beginning was God.  So, was the beginning a trillion years ago?  No, because there is always another number that follows one trillion.  It is called infinity—no beginning or ending.  But there must be a beginning!  No!  God has always been, but……...  He has always been.  The true and living God is the Creator of all things.

See what I mean about the mind’s inability to understand God and creation?  At times I catch myself saying, “When was the beginning?”  The natural, finite mind cannot begin to fathom the depth, height, and breadth of an infinite God.  We cannot realize, with all our intellect or college degrees, the supernatural realm of God.  Our mind goes bonkers for lack of understanding.

Trying to comprehend God and the workings of God is like straining our eyes to see through glass that is obscured, thus making it impossible to see what is on the other side.  Such is the reaction when attempting to gain knowledge of spiritual things with natural thinking.  We must approach God in spirit and in truth to receive anything from Him.   

God is so awesome and beyond our mental capacity that we must walk by faith to someway believe that “He is” and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  To be immersed in the splendor of His glory requires a person to submit themselves to His will and receive Him by faith.

Faith?  What is faith?  How can I walk in faith?  Faith comes through reading God’s Word, the Bible.  The Word opens understanding of the mind that lines us up with the mind of Christ. 

(Hebrews 11:1) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

What amazes me most is the reality that an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God loved me and wanted to commune with me before I recognized the need for Him in my life.  He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins, to give us real purpose in life, and to receive an abundant existence on this planet.

By accepting Jesus as Lord, and asking God to forgive us of our sins, this act of faith gives hope that we will enjoy heaven for eternity.  This is the promise of God to all Christians, everywhere.

Yes, God is all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing (omniscient), and present everywhere (omnipresent), but one thing is certain, He loves you and me.  He will never leave or forsake us.  He becomes our Heavenly Father when we surrender our lives to Him.

With all the mystery surrounding God and creation, He made it easy for you and me to understand the plan of salvation and allow Him to remove our sins from within us.  We need only to believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of the living God.

Our connectivity with the Lord begins with the “new birth” as God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit enter our heart.  It is the beginning of a new life through this born-again experience.

If we have questions and wonder about God’s origin, creation, life after death, heaven and hell, these unknowns can become less important when we invite Jesus into our heart, because of the peace He gives.  We are saved from our sins and become children of God. 

The natural-thinking person, now a Christian because of the new birth, becomes spiritually in tune with the spiritual realm through prayer and reading God’s Word.  Our relationship with God becomes a new way of living.  Old desires pass away, and all things become new, because of His forgiveness.

We learn how to rest in the Lord when questions arise that we don’t have answers to.  We can refuse, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to not succumb to trivial things that bug our mind.  We no longer find ourselves on a treadmill or stationary bicycle going nowhere.  Like a hamster running endlessly on a hamster-wheel in a cage of our own making, no longer do we feel the need to spin our wheels trying to grasp the overwhelming mysteries of God Almighty.  We can rest in the Lord.

Written by,

Papa Boyd