Things To Marvel At

Things I marvel at. Let me share just one. The coastal redwood tree, also known as the Stratosphere Giant, is the mother of all woodland mind bogglers. Consider these facts. The tallest recorded redwood exceeds 379 feet. That's...really tall! The oldest to be recorded is more than 2,200 years old (22 centuries!). That's...really old! It would be silly to ask if Jesus took the chance to swing by and visit this tree. After all, He planted it! Get this. A redwood seed, which rarely germinates, is smaller than a tomato seed. That's...really small! So, to go from...really small to...really tall, and to grow to be...really old gives much reason to marvel. Not done. The redwood has proven to be the most resilient tree to exist. It is impervious to harmful diseases and insects. Mostly due to the thickness of its bark. The average thickness of the protective layer of bark that covers a redwood is 1ft. That's...really thick! And with skin that thick, even fire has proven to be no match for these ancient giants! If only I had skin that thick. Again, I marvel. But marvel at what, the tree? I think not. For the tree is no more than an expression of the Creator's might and majesty and glory and strength and power and...the list goes on. When I marvel at such a creation, two things happen: the Creator God gets...really big and I get...really small!

Metaphor Prayer Furnace

There are few places I'd rather be than fellowshipping by a fire with Metaphor, the Harvest West Olive young adult group. And one of those places is kneeling before The Throne of Grace offering my prayer's of thanksgiving and supplication. How humbling it is to know that my Lord would even care to have me approach His Throne. In Hebrews 4, He tells me I need not fear...that I can come to Him "with confidence." And to think, approaching Him is always for my good. When I approach Him, I am always amazed at how freely His mercy and grace flows. His endless surplus of these does not simply trickle. It is a downpour that washes away self imposed burden from my shoulders and refreshes my weakened body from the pride of my own efforts. Hey! We need only to respond and come. And that is what Metaphor did Friday night. We "approached with confidence The One who will bless with mercy and grace." Way to go Metaphor! I am excited to see the result of the Lord's downpour of mercy and grace upon your group!