A common prayer request from families is for more joy and peace in the home. With joy and peace comes hope. I considered how CreationSpeech (testimonies of wisdom) can help families have more joy and peace. Surely the testimonies of birds can give us comfort as they illustrate the promise of God that every living thing including us are in His hands.
“The birds … will tell you … the hand of the LORD has done this. In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of mankind.
JOB 12:7, 9, 10
What is the big picture? Below is a concept map that summarizes what I learned.
First of all, one can learn that joy and peace come from the God of hope to those who believe.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Romans 15:13
In believing the truth (about God, Jesus and the promises of the gospel, e.g., eternal life), God fills us with joy and peace. We can know the truth by reading God’s Word while praying in the Spirit.
“Every word of God proves true”
PROVERBS 30:5, JOHN 17:17, EPHESIANS 6:16-17
Jesus said to the Father: “Your word is truth”
“In all circumstances take up … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
For example, we learn from Scripture, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried and on the third day rose from the dead, imparts His righteousness to us, and reigns at the right hand of the Father with all authority in heaven and earth until he has put all his enemies under his feet. These truths are the basis for peace, joy and hope. Jesus is our living hope.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
1 PETER 1:3-4
The earth was made as a testimony to the wisdom of rejoicing in Christ’s reign with sounds of crashing waves, flowering plants and singing birds. But we would not know it without this revelation in the Word.
“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice, let the many coastlands be glad”
(PSALM 97:1)
The freedom that come from being born again is also illustrated in creation.
One of the greatest blessings of God’s wisdom in creation is that children are drawn to it. Creation helps children to know the truth (the Word), a great source of joy for parents.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
3 JOHN 1:4
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Lida finding fossils with Peter -
Fossilized herring and feces
Fossils can testify to God’s judgement in the worldwide flood. They help the truth of the Word about the the coming judgement to become clear. Importantly the trustworthy Word gives believers the message of hope in that believers will dwell with God in the new heavens and earth (2 PETER 3:11).
Other testimonies of God’s wisdom in creation in recent years were the solar and lunar eclipses. It is amazing to see both of these examples of His greatness as Creator and the truth that “God fixed the order of the moon” (JEREMIAH 31:35).
God helped Job to meditate on the glorious splendor of His majesty in His mighty acts in creation. The power of the testimonies of the migration of hawks, the strength of the horses neck and the birthing of mountain goats caused Job to be humbled before God.
“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you and therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
JOB 42:5-6
Jobs words illustrate the truth of Psalm 145
“They (God’s mighty works) shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.”
(The Psalm continues to describe God’s greatness as: might, goodness, righteousness, steadfast love, mercy, power, dominion, kindness, nearness, protection)
PSALM 145:6 and 7-20
Meditating on God’s majesty and work’s in creation, helps one to see the testimonies of His wisdom. This wisdom is seen in that creation illustrates the truth of His Word about Himself (greatness), Jesus (Savior) and us (redeemed believers or dead in sins). All this is seen by the power of the Spirit through prayer.
A core issue today is a low view of God and high view of self, resulting in the perception of little need for a Savior. So it is critical to commend the mighty works of God to the next generation so they will be humble before Him and see their need for a Savior. It is also important to seek the testimonies of creation in the Word, where God’s revelation is most clear.
“for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”
PSALM 138:2b
May the next generation see the CreationSpeech of God and abound in hope, filled with all joy and peace in believing the truth of God’s greatness.
