I'm sure most of you have seen images of the destruction of the earthquake that struck Kathmandu, Nepal on April 25. The pictures simply tug at your heart strings. Seeing people's homes and business completely destroyed in moments is incredible. Buildings and statues hundreds of years old were destroyed in minutes. People are seen sitting on the top of the rubble of what was their homes. And, knowing that at the last count I saw over 4,400 people are confirmed dead with thousands injured. To think that all of this destruction came so unexpectedly is unimaginable.
Yet, each time I see the pictures of the desolation of the Nepal earthquake, or the devastation caused by the volcano that erupted in Calbuco, Chile, or the ruin caused by hurricanes, tornados and floods, I am reminded of another type of foundation we build on. This foundation is not made of cement, bricks, mortar, or steel. Rather, this foundation is what we build our lives on. This foundation represents our philosophy of life. When trouble hits us it is when our foundation is tested.
The Psalmist said in Psalm 11:3, "If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" This question is a good question to ask ourselves. Each of us need to be able to give an answer for this question. If you were to ask people in Nepal or Chile what their plans are I believe many would say that they plan to rebuild. They may seek a better way to build or how to lay a better foundation, but for many of them, they will rebuild.
The Psalmist answers his own question in the next verse. Psalm 11:4 says, "The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven." The response we can make when our foundations are shaken, and maybe evn destroyed, is that the Lord is still in control. Isaiah 6:1 says, "In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord…" When things look bleak and we aren't sure where to turn, we can turn to the Lord.
Today, as you see the devastation of the aftermath of this terrible earthquake, please be moved to pray for the people of Nepal. Believers in Jesus Christ live and serve the Lord in Nepal. Secondly, if you would like to give for the relief efforts you can go our website, fblosgatos.org and click on the "donate now" button and you will see a fund titled "Nepal Earthquake Fund." You can easily give a donation and we will be forwarding these funds to ABWE.
But, maybe more importantly, be sure to consider whether your foundations would be destroyed by unexpected trouble in your life. If your life is not built on the foundation of teh Lord Jesus Christ, then you need to correct that today. You can ask Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and to make you one of His children. Do it today.
April 22, 1970 is an important day in our history. On that day Congress established April 22 as "Earth Day." In a time when pollution seemed to be running rampant and people were misusing Planet Earth, some decided to set aside a day to remember where we live. I realize that for many people then, and now, this day reflects more on "Mother Earth" than God as Creator. But, that shouldn't stop us from presenting Him as such.
Throughout the Bible God's role as Creator is clearly seen. Psalm 24:1-2 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. " King David was reminding us of God's creative work.
Psalm 24 is part of a trilogy of Psalms. Psalms 22, 23, and 24 form a movement of truth. Psalm 22 presents the truth of the cross, Psalm 23 presents the truth of the crook, and Psalm 24 presents the truth of the crown. Each Psalm reminds us of the importance of Jesus Christ. When David reflects on the crown he wants us to realize that one day Jesus will sit as King over Planet Earth because it is His from creation.
Other Bible writers present the truth of God's creation and ownership of earth. From Moses in Exodus 9:29 and 19:5, to Asaph in Psalm 50:12, to Ethan in Psalm 89:11 to Job in Job 41:11, to even the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:26, the writers of Scripture are clear that God owns and operates His creation. This world is not man's and it did not come about by accident.
In the Garden of Eden God gave to mankind a responsibility to till the ground and to keep the earth. In this command rests mankind's duty to God's creation. Mankind is to cultivate the earth and to guard it. We are merely stewards taking care of Someone else's property. We are only borrowing it.
When I was growing up my mother used to tell me that when I borrowed something I was to return it in better condition, or at least as good of a condition, as when I borrowed it. Since we are just borrowers of this universe it is incumbent upon us to treat it in that manner. Though the songwriter said, "This world is not my home," we actually do live here for awhile. In the time we sojourn here on Planet Earth we should take care to treat it well.
As believers in Jesus Christ, and children of God, may Earth Day 2015 be a day we remember Whose world we live in. We could say it like this, "God Created Earth Day." Now, if I punctuate it like this, "'God Created Earth' Day" it gets it right! God didn't create "Earth Day." Rather, He created Earth and on this day we can celebrate that truth.
Can we really be at the end of another year? Wasn’t it just a few days ago we were turning our calendars to 2013? It seems like we just got into the habit of writing 2013. Now we must retrain ourselves to write 2014! Wow, how time flies.
So, what did you accomplish in 2013? Was it a “happy” new year? What makes you happy? Happiness and joy are essential to life. Wise King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good like a medicine…” Some people try to “medicate” themselves to happiness. What they find is that no medicine can bring lasting happiness. Rather, a joyful heart will keep us looking at life from a healthy perspective. And, as we know, genuine joy and happiness come from a right relationship to the Lord. So, did your happiness in 2013 come from that source? May 2014 by a “happy” new year as you draw closer to the Lord.
Was 2013 “new” for you? Did you get some new things? Maybe this was year to replace your old car with a new one? Or, maybe you swapped out your old refrigerator for new one? Or, maybe you moved into a new home? But, sooner or later, all of these new things simply become old. They will fade and deteriorate. What about you, are you new? Did you just keep doing all the “old” things? Or, did you grow spiritually so that you added new things to your walk with your Saviour? Revelation 21:5 says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Our God is in the business of replacing old, worn out things with new ones. How well did you do in 2013 replacing your old ways with new ways? Reread Ephesians 4:22-24 to be reminded of this process.
How long was your “year”? You might be saying, “what a ridiculous question.” Of course, we were all given 365 days in 2013. That breaks down to 12 months or 52 weeks or 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes or 31,536,000 seconds! And, as of January 1, 2014 another set of those numbers will be available. But, just as in 2013, so also in 2014, some of us will not make it to December 31. Our life will have ended some where in those days. Moses says in Psalm 90:12, “Lord teach us to number our days…” This year, will you go through life oblivious to eternity? 2014 is to be another opportunity to prepare ourselves for life after death. Which of us reading these words will not be on the earth at the end of 2014? I don’t know, but I do know some will not be.
As you reflect upon the new year, may the Lord give us a “happy new year” because we receive our joy from a right relationship to Himself, because we are being made new by His grace, and we are willing to reflect upon eternity. Let’s decide now to make 2014 a truly HAPPY NEW YEAR!
