The following is a part of our weekly devotional series, which is a companion to the 2013 Foursquare Life Journal. This week’s Bible reading comes from Exodus 21 – 36, Leviticus 1 – 14, Acts 11 – 17 and Psalms 15 and 19.
I was standing in our bedroom looking through the window, as had been my routine for many days, with the darkness of the night reflecting the darkness of my soul.
As the sun began to dawn on this particular morning, it was as if individual words were painted on each ray of light. The words broke through the darkness and whispered a promise that I would cling to: “As surely as the sun rises every morning, there is hope for you.”
I had been walking through the deepest valley of depression I had ever known. It was a season when hope seemed to be slipping through my fingers, and my grip was waning.
I will never forget the relief I sensed when the red dawn spoke those words of life.
Many times since that morning I have encountered God’s testimony of the power, love, grace, goodness and faithfulness through His creation—whether in the vastness of His ocean, reminding me of the depths of His love; the powerful electrical storms, racing through the skies with the pounding of thunder to gain my reverent attention; the gentle rains that seem to cleanse the air I breathe, inciting gratitude for his great grace; or every sunrise that tells me He is faithful.
God’s creation is a witness to His attributes.
In Acts 14, when the people of Lystra encountered the power of God, they attributed it to Paul and Barnabas, who quickly responded and refused to take any of the credit. Rather, Paul and Barnabas admonished the people to “turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (v. 15, ESV).
“In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons” (vv.16 – 17, NASB). These scriptures shout that His faithfulness remains even when we are faithless. His testimony is made known in His goodness without a word.
“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. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Ps. 19:1 – 4, NIV).
If you are losing the wonder, if the questions are louder than the answers, if the darkness is overtaking you, get out to a place man didn’t create. Then listen … the world is a witness to the attributes of God.