Because of Yeshua [Jesus]

God’s Reflection

October 20th, 2008

Isn’t it strange how nature is a reflection of the things of God?

Sunday morning, my wife and I were on our way to the celebration gathering of the church. The moon was still in the sky and we began to talk about how the moon reflects the light from the sun. We talked about how much of the moon could be seen depending on the shadow cast by the earth. We also talked about the dark side of the moon. Now, neither of us are scientists but common sense tells us that the dark side is the side pointed away from the sun. It’s the same thing that we call night. It’s dark on the part of the earth which is pointed away from the sun.

Do you find it strange that observations like these tend to lead us to reflect on God? After all, He is the one who put it all together. All of what we refer to as nature reflects God and his awesome power. It also shouts boldly about his great love for us in giving us such marvelous beauty. Here in New Hampshire, we are coming to the end of the peak colors of fall. It was like the most beautiful painting you can imagine. Soon, everything will be covered in a blanket of white. Each of the four seasons which we experience here has it’s own beauty and declares His workmanship.

The great King David must have been thinking some of the same things when he wrote these words;

The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

(Psalm 19:1-4, NLT)

What about mankind? God created us in his own image (Genesis 1). If we are created in His image, shouldn’t we be a reflection of Him? But how do we do that? We become a reflection of God as we become a reflection of the Son. His life was a total reflection of Father God.

The analogy may be a bit simplistic but true. We are a reflection of the light of the Son, when we are in him and loving the way he loved. If we are not reflecting His light, then something else is in the way and is casting a shadow. It could be anything; but for me, it is usually myself. I seem to have a habit of getting in the way more than anything else.

I sometimes wonder if we humans don’t get the whole idea of being “like Jesus.” I sometimes look at this “free gift” of God’s grace and forget that it cost so much. Then I begin to remember that it cost Jesus his life. The part that I seem to conveniently not think about is that it also is supposed to cost me my life. That’s the part of the “free gift” and “being like Jesus” that is the hardest for me. Jesus said; “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul ?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

Jesus gave his life, freely. His desire was to glorify the Father and to reestablish a relationship with us. But in order for me to have that relationship, I must freely give my life as a reflection of Jesus. Until I put “me” aside, there will never be a complete reflection of the Son. It’s kind of like the difference between a full moon or only a partial moon. The more the earth gets in the way, the bigger the shadow. The more I get in the way, the bigger the shadow and less of Jesus can be seen.

Isn’t it strange how nature is a reflection of the things of God?

Entry Filed under: Nature, OutThere