Daily Biblical insights

[newtonscousin]

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Isaiah 40
8 - The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

[Kenshiro]

While God and I Shall Be
March 12, 2010

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

The final verse of the majestic hymn "I Am His, and He Is Mine" focuses on the unending love between the believer and God. As we read in our text, nothing can "separate us from the love of God."

His forever, only His—Who the Lord and me shall part? Ah,
with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart! Heav’n
and earth may fade and flee, First-born light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

Resting in such supernatural love, which lasts forever, begets peace and rest even now. Our Savior beckons, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:2. Aspects of our present life may be temporary, but His love lasts forever. "The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, . . . but my salvation shall be forever" (Isaiah 51:6). "And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar |gray| hairs will I carry you" (Isaiah 46:4).

Consider the last line in the hymn. "But while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine." As long as either God or the individual remains, their love will last. "But the LORD shall endure forever" (Psalm 9:7). "He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). Thus, the Christian "will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever" (Psalm 23:6). "I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:27-2. JDM

[Kenshiro]

The Poetry of God
March 18, 2010

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

The word "poem" is derived from the Greek poiema. Used only twice in the New Testament, it refers to two great works of God Himself. Thus, God is the divine poet who has created two great masterpieces--artistic creations of marvelous intricacy and surpassing beauty.

The first is the entire physical universe: "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). In this key verse, poiema is translated "things that are made." Everything in the universe, animate and inanimate, constitutes a marvelous product of God's creative forethought and inventive skill. If a beautiful poem requires a poet to create it, so much the more does the complex cosmic poem of the universe demand a great poet of consummate wisdom and infinite power. The rejection of the poet and the message of the poem not only leaves one "without excuse" (v. 20), but facing "the wrath of God" (v. 1.

Yet an even more amazing poem is the work of transforming redemption accomplished in a lost soul saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:. For then it is we, ourselves, who become His poem! This also is a great creative masterpiece, for "we are his workmanship |same word, Greek poiema|, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." A life once dead in sin, now born again and walking in good works--this is God's greatest poetic masterpiece of all!

Both the mighty universe and the soul made new in Christ are special creations of God, and both manifest His greatness and His love. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15) of grace. HMM