Good morning!
Ah, Romans, I love Paul's letters, although I don't always understand everything he's saying, there is a strange draw for me to the epistles.
I gained a greater understanding to this text:
20 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 men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.Now verse 20 I understood. God has revealed Himself through nature and creation in general. And I do believe that's true. Take a look at the human body, the fact that it has the ability to heal, reproduce, learn and so much more. Look at nature and the beauty contained there. All of these things and more point to an intelligent God. And because of that even if we aren't told about Jesus verbally, we have no excuse to not believe in Him.
It was verse 21 that the light went on. I understand now why people replace God with idols (either physical idols, or things put in the place of God). God has revealed Himself to us. He has answered a need that we have in our beings, to know and be known by God. But, we in our wickedness and unrighteousness, wanted to put the invisible God into something that we can touch, and see. Maybe it was innocent at first. A reminder that God is always there. So they made something to just remind them. But then the reminder became the substitute and it all went downhill from there.
I can see how it would happen. While my grandmother was alive I had no need for a picture of her. I saw her, I knew what she looked like. Why do I need a picture? But she's been dead over a year now and I miss her. I'm starting to forget what she looked like. And I have no pictures of her. I'm wanting a picture. Just a reminder. But it certainly doesn't take the place of her. It's not her. It doesn't smell like peaches and I can't give it a hug. It doesn't make mac 'n cheese and apple pies like grandma. But it reminds me of all of those things. I can see how easily it would be to replace God with something else.
It has been said that we have a God shaped hole in all of us. And we seek to fill it with something. It is a gaping vacuum and we need to fill it up. Only God can completely fill it up. And we know we need something in there. People saw nature and saw those God-like qualities in the sunset and in a tree and mistook those creations to be God.
We got mixed up.
Father God thank you for your revelation to us in both nature and scripture. Help us to place you first in our lives and in all things. You are God, we are not. Thank you for loving us. Amen.
Tomorrow's passage: Isaiah 30-31, Romans 2
2 comments:
Great post, Kathryn, thanks!
Great picture and explanation Kathryn. It does make sense. And the ease with which it could happen is what makes it frightening (and dangerous)
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