God is Doing Wonders, Let us use our Gifts

Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Exodus 15:11

A week ago, Lida and I took a day trip into the Rocky Mountains. A person at a Visitors Center said we were a week or two early for the peak of the fall colors, but encouraged us to head to the Grand Lake area. We were not disappointed. Clumps of Aspens had a variety of colors.

Aspen trees are connected at the root, but differ in their response to the environment according to God’s providence

This is the way it is with the Church.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them.

Romans 12:4-6a

God is doing wonders in His creation. These works are a taste of the wonders He is doing in the Church – spectacular, glorious deeds! O LORD God, we praise you for the power of your Word, preached. We praise you for establishing our steps; for marriages, children, and wisdom. We praise you for your everlasting kingdom; joy in seeing the light and hope.

Next we took a route down a gravel road in Fraser, Colorado. We came by a wetland and Lida noticed a cow and calf moose. We pulled over and saw the cow show affection. A moose calf is not too big to reassure with a nuzzling kiss. God, the Creator, is the source of affection as illustrated in His creation, and Son, and the Holy Spirit.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Philippians 2:1-2

We drove to the Jim Creek Trail, Winter Park, Colorado. The aspens were still green there, but a plant in the woods caught my attention. What was the woodland plant with the spectacular fall-colors?

It was wild geranium – probably Richard’s Geranium. There is another variety that is more common Western meadows called Sticky Geranium. As I was learning about these plants at home, I realized that I should go check on the Geranium plants in our meadow. We have not had rain for a month, so I did not expect to see much in the dry grass land. But there they were in fall splendor too.

I thought: Dear God, you are doing wonders in ever environment. What else should I notice in our meadow right at home? God showed me colorful grasses and golden asters and even a small Paintbrush that was showing a fresh bloom.

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God was doing wonders in all parts of our meadow. The Pinon nuts were ready to harvest and I enjoyed them with Lida. I learned that the bronze-colored plants in the field were called Winged Buckwheat, (Eriogonum alatum). I also saw that the Green Comet Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) in our meadow had an opened seed pod. I planted the seeds around the area with hopes of seeing the plant multiply.

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God was doing wonders with His bees (Hunt’s Bumble Bees), butterflies (Reakirt’s Blue) and grasshoppers (Carolina Locust).

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God was doing wonders with birds in the air. A flock of morning doves came through on their migration south. I heard Red Tail hawks call to each other and I captured a photo of one flying in the distance.

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For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other … turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!

Isaiah 45:18, 22

Amen! God was successful in creating the earth to be inhabited by a variety of creatures and plants. He also gives us all the gifts that we need in the Church to expand His kingdom, by His grace. Let us use our gifts in the reigning Christ!

Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Exodus 15:11