“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1

 When our daughter was little…a friend of mine suggested that we take our kids on a skiing vacation together to Utah.  So we packed up and headed out to the mountains.  I was a little fearful but expected to have fun and tried to put the element of danger out of my mind.  When we got there, it was snowing like crazy, like a foot per hour crazy.  When you got on the lift to head up the mountain you were covered in snow before you got halfway up crazy!  It was snowing so hard that the line to buy goggles in the pro shop was literally out the door as you couldn’t see without them.

While all of this made for great skiing, there was an added benefit that we never expected when we planned this trip – the ability to allow our kids to see the grandeur of God.  We were high in the mountains among the spruce trees that towered over 100 feet high.  We were surrounded by beauty everywhere we looked.  The sky was a deep azure blue filled with clouds that were raining down huge white snowflakes that were easily caught with your tongue.  And here we were in the midst of it all with intention to play.  Instead we found ourselves awestruck as we were witnessing the wonder of God right in front of us.  Suddenly I realized that nature is God’s workshop of creation.  The sky is his personal canvass of artistic beauty and we are but a small dot in his universe of workmanship.

All of us have a different view of God and we witness him in different ways.  But sometimes our human minds prevent us from seeing exactly how big God truly is.  God told Abraham, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them…So shall your offspring be.” – Genesis 15:5  The billions of stars in the sky are a constant reminder of just how big our God thinks and does.  When we look toward the heavens we see a small cluster of stars.  Yet God authored billions into existence – he is the creator of the universe!

The things of this world that bother us, he steps over.  The troubles we incur are of no worry to him.  We get tired, he doesn’t.  We get agitated, not him.  Time does not faze him.  Lions are not bothered by a mouse and the eagle is not antagonized by the sparrow.  God is bigger than all of those and he calls his children, that’s us, to ignore the inconveniences of this world.   The Bible says, “For nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke 2:37  If our name is written in the Lamb’s book of life – Revelation 21:27 – then our citizenship is not of this world. – Philippians 3:20

So as you travel down the road of life, as you gaze upon what lies before you, don’t forget to look out for the unexpected, the unimaginable, and the unthinkable.  God’s handiwork is everywhere, and his craftsmanship is amazing.  It’s not that we don’t know that, it’s just sometimes we forget just how big God really is!

Many “Thanks” to everyone…who worked to support the seminar this week with Steve Hemphill.  It took a team of dedicated people to make this happen (Nancy and Phyllis).  To all who helped set up and tear down – Thank you so very much!  To all of you who prayed for this seminar – you were the mighty warriors that God put here to assist us!  Many of you have had very positive comments to the elders.  Our attendance each night was 100/40+, 95/43, 87/38, and 93/38 (total attendance/community visitors).

Schultz-Lewis is coming…by on Tuesday of this week to pick up change cans as well as gift cards and commodities such as olive oil.  Please bring your cans this weekend or donations to support the can drive as well as any assistance you can make in helping to stock their kitchen with commodities or perhaps a Walmart gift card.  Schultz-Lewis is a children’s home/school in Indiana that is an outreach of our mission program.

This week at the Muscatine Church…we continue our focus on Walking the Walk, this week listening to Jesus call for us to just touch him.  Your presence is a huge encouragement to others, especially our visitors.  I look forward to seeing  you there!

Wishing you all the best!

DJA