Remember how wonderful the stars are when we’re out camping, away from city lights? People have always been amazed by the night sky. It’s so immense; there are so many stars. When David was a shepherd, out in the field with his flock at night, he felt the same way we do when we look at the stars. He wrote, “When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?” (Psa. 8:3-4 RSV).
The magnificent heavens are powerful evidence there is a Creator. (As you learn more about the universe, you’ll find the evidence grows even stronger.) The universe is so vast, it’s easy to wonder why God bothers about such small creatures as ourselves.
Remember how much we’ve enjoyed watching the beautiful birds and butterflies we see when we walk in the woods? The world is filled with life, from tiny insects and flowers, up to enormous trees. All of life fits perfectly together in an intricate pattern. This web of life also is strong evidence of a Creator. We learn how all-powerful God is from the stars, but in the complex beauty of living things we learn He cares very much about small details. He provides for every living thing, including you and me.
Paul wrote in one of his letters, “Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made” (Rom. 1:20). We can learn a lot about God just by looking around us at the things He has made. We learn He is very great, but also He cares about individuals. We learn He is a God of beauty, order, and harmony. And we can see He must love His creation very much.
Whenever we stop to notice the flowers, the animals, the mountains, or the stars, we should remember to say “thank you” to the Creator who loves us enough to give us all of this to enjoy. And tell Him we love Him, too.
Dad
Prayer
How do you feel, when someone you love ignores you, won’t even speak to you? It hurts, doesn’t it?
You know God loves you. Do you think He wants you to talk to Him? Of course, He’s much greater than we are. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t hurt when we ignore Him and refuse to talk to Him. The Old Testament prophets told Israel that it grieved God greatly when His people turned their backs on Him and ignored Him.
Our God wants to be called “Father.” He feels close to us, in the same way I feel close to you. He wants us to talk to Him. He wants us to tell Him whatever is bothering us, and He also appreciates it when we thank Him for what He does for us. The New Testament tells us, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
We have to be careful not to be selfish in what we ask God for. Prayer is NOT a way to get everything we want. We rely on God for our food and our home, and it’s right to ask Him to take care of us. If we don’t keep asking -every day — for His care, we’ll probably forget that He’s providing for us. We’ll start thinking we do everything for ourselves.
It seems odd that anyone could forget God, the Creator of all things! But we do. That’s why it’s so important to get into a pattern of praying often. Our prayers shouldn’t be just habits we do without thinking about them! But we should have a practice of stopping for a minute or two several times a day, just to thank God and ask for His care. That’s why we have a prayer at meals and at bedtime. If we are talking to Him every day, we’ll stay closer to Him, and that’s what He wants.
We can pray anywhere, any time. The important thing is to honor God in our prayers, and let Him know we love Him and respect Him. Our God is mighty, but very gentle with us. He is truly wonderful, and it’s wonderful that He wants us to talk to Him. Let’s not let Him down!
Dad
Work
I Know you really don’t want to do your chores, or your homework. Unfortunately, not wanting to do something doesn’t mean we don’t have to do it.
Work is part of the curse that came with sin. God told Adam, “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread.” That means we have to work to eat. Nobody is supposed to get a free ride. The ecclesia in Thessalonica had some members who didn’t want to work; they wanted others to support them. Paul went so far as to tell them, “If any one will not work, let him not eat” (II Thess. 3:10).
Does this seem unfair? I know you think it’s unfair that you have to do some work around the house. Work is part of our discipline. It helps to shape us into the kind of people God wants us to be. Is God lazy? Of course not; He’s working all the time. Will He want lazy people around Him in His eternal Kingdom? I don’t think so. He wants people who are willing to work for Him.
Nothing good or useful is accomplished without work. The school work you do is important in helping you learn things you need to know. The work I do allows us to have a home and food to eat. And work we do for the ecclesia spreads God’s word and provides a place for us to meet together.
All work isn’t a curse. Work can be very rewarding. In fact, nothing offers as much satisfaction as accomplishing something worthwhile. Do you remember what Adam was told to do before he sinned? He was supposed to “till and keep” the garden of Eden. He had to work, but it wasn’t a punishment then. The punishment was that after his sin, the work became hard and frustrating.
A lot of times the only difference between thinking of work as a curse, or as something rewarding, is our attitude. When we remember work helps to train us; it lets us do good things for people we love, and we often benefit ourselves from our work, it’s not so bad.
Paul said, “If any one will not work, let him not eat.” So, how interested are you in eating supper?
Dad
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One