Creation Calls: Part 2 - 'Life on Earth'

Psalm 19:1-4
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.

1 Peter 3:15 
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Romans 1:18-20
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people,
who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them,
because God has made it plain to them.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

 

Prayer and Reflection:
We thank you Father, for the beauty of all that you have made. We thank you for the trees, the flowers, for the mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes, for the sea and the delights of the seashore. You have revealed yourself in all these things and we give you thanks.

Forgive us for the times that we have taken the enormous variety, intricacy and splendour of life on planet Earth for granted. And Lord please forgive us for the damage that we have collectively done to the environment.

Open our eyes to see all the beauty around us, to appreciate your greatness in giving us the different seasons, each fulfilling our needs. And if we do not understand why nature sometimes seems cruel and harsh, help us to trust where we cannot see, knowing that you love us.

O God we want to praise and thank you for giving us so much to enjoy in your world.

We pray all these things in Jesus name, and for his glory,
AMEN



Questions to Consider

1. Can you explain the difference between God’s ‘General Revelation’ and his ‘Special Revelation’?
2. In Psalm 19 David wrote, ‘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.’ What was he getting at? Can you explain?
3. In Romans 1:20 the apostle Paul writes that ‘people are without excuse’. Excuse for what, exactly? Why don’t they have any possible excuse?
4. Can you give some examples of how God reveals himself in nature?
5. Have you experienced God through nature? What were the circumstances?
6. Peter wrote, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have’. Are you prepared? In what way are you prepared? What resources do you use?
7. Do you believe that science can explain everything? If no, what are those things that it can’t explain?