The Miracle of Creation

Today I started reading The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul.  I know, I know, I'm starting yet another book, but I do like to have one biography, one theology and one fiction (when I have time) book going, so now I've got all three! :)  In the first chapter, Dr. Sproul talks about the creation of the universe and the awesomeness of it and I just had to share!  We sometimes just read the black words on the white page: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  I hope this passage will help you (as it helped me) realize the majesty and grandeur of the sentence that begins the Book of all books!

"God's fiats [explained in an earlier passage to be 'a command or an act of the will that creates something'] are not so limited.  He can create by the sheer force of His divine command.  He can bring something out of nothing, life out of death.  He can so these things by the sound of His voice.


The first sound uttered in the universe was the voice of God commanding, 'Let there be!'  It is improper to say that this was the first sound 'in' the universe because until the sound was made there was no universe for it to be in.  God shouted into a void.  Perhaps it was a kind of primal scream directed at empty darkness."


The command created its own molecules to carry the sound waves of God's voice farther and farther into space.  Yet sound waves would take too long.  The speed of this imperative exceeded the speed of light.  As soon as the words left the Creator's mouth, things began to happen.  Where His voice reverberated, stars appeared, glowing in unspeakable brilliance in tempo with the songs of angels.  The force of divine energy splattered against the sky like a kaleidoscope of color hurled from the palate of a powerful artist.  Comets crisscrossed the sky with flashing tails like Fourth of July skyrockets.


The act of creation was the first event in history.  It was also the most dazzling.  The supreme Architect gazed as His complex blueprint and shouted commands for the boundaries of the world to be set.  He spoke, and the seas were shut behind doors, and the clouds were filled with dew.  He bound the Pleiades and buckled the belt of Orion.  He spoke again, and the earth began to fill with orchards in full bloom.  Blossoms burst forth like springtime in Mississippi.  The lavender hues of plum trees dance with the brilliance of azaleas and forsythia.


God spoke once more, and the waters teemed with living things.  The snail sneaked beneath the shadowy form of the stingray, while the great marlin broke the surface of the water to promenade on the waves with his tail.  Again He spoke, and the roar of the lion and the bleating of sheep were heard.  Four-footed animals, eight-legged spiders, and winged insects appeared.


And God said, 'That's good.'


Then God stooped to to earth and carefully fashioned a piece of clay.  He lifted it gently to His lips and breathed into it.  The clay began to move.  It began to think.  It began to feel.  It began to worship.  It was alive and stamped with the image of its Creator."

Unfortunately, I can't type up the whole chapter I just read and the things it got me thinking about.  I cannot wait to continue reading this book!!  (Thank you dear student, you know who you are, for telling me about this book!!)  I have been blessed immensely already and I've read a grand total of 8 pages!

What a mighty God we serve!!

Blessings in Christ,

Library: Gladys Aylward, The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward

What an awesome book!  Gladys Aylward, The Little Woman is the autobiography of Gladys Aylward, a missionary to China and Taiwan from 1932 until her death in 1970, with occasional journeys back to her native England to speak about the work God was doing in China.  Her autobiography covers her 'adventures' in her early years in China - including just getting there!

When Gladys felt a call on her life to go and minister to those in China, she did the practical thing - go to the missionary societies and offer her services.  However, none of them would have her.  So, instead of giving up, she decided to go on her own and, after working for months to save up enough money for her train fare, she traveled by train from England to China because it was much cheaper than going by boat (pull out a map if your geography is a little rusty - it's a long way!).  By the grace and protection of God, she made it through the USSR (barely!!) and into China to begin her ministry.  The fortitude, humility, grace, patience and love this woman had is absolutely astounding!  She lived to see numerous power changes (never peaceful) in the town she lived in, took care of many resulting orphans, stopped a prison riot, became an advocate for prison reform and led 100 children on a 27-day trek to safety across mountains, a river and through many cities left desolate by the Japanese.  As soon as they arrived to safety, Gladys collapsed with typhus, among other things, and was seriously ill for months and recalled that "I have no idea how long I laid in that hospital, for typhus affected my memory, and the following two years are very hazy."  This is yet another book that reinforced for me the importance God has placed on children (especially orphans) and the hazards He asks His people to go through to protect and save His little ones.


Here's what Gladys Aylward had to say later in life about being called to China - "I wasn't God's first choice for what I've done for China. There was somebody else. I don't know who it was --- God's first choice. It must have been a man --- a wonderful man, a well-educated man. I don't know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn't willing. And God looked down and saw Gladys Aylward."


As much as I am convinced that she was God's first choice, may we take the warning and if God calls us to do something - GO!!!!  Don't make Him find a second choice.


I am currently trying to watch The Inn of the Sixth Happiness which is the movie based on Gladys Aylward's early life.  However, I do know that she didn't like if very much (she was still alive when they made it), so I'm not making it a top priority.  I have heard fabulous things about it, though, so we shall see!


Blessings in Christ,