A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
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Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Early
yesterday morning we passed by Conewago Lake near
Mount Gretna with fall foliage in the background.
"A
Lesson From Fall Foliage"
Technical note: We have had a tough week with technical issues. Monday we had internet problems that canceled Monday's message. A tech came yesterday and all is well with a new modem . Then late yesterday afternoon I noticed the website was down. After several calls to tech support it finally came back up this afternoon.
Message summary: When you see fall foliage do you know what you are looking for? Can you clearly see the handwork of God?
Listen
to this
message on your audio player.
“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 people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
For many years New England has been a popular destination for fall travel due to the beautiful fall foliage. Having lived up that way for 8 years in the nineties we can testify that there is a special beauty of autumn in New England.
But yesterday I heard an interesting perspective on fall foliage from Walter, a project manager at White Oak Display. He shared about a recent visit to Vermont where he has a friend who operates a Bed and Breakfast.
This is a very busy season in New England with tourists coming in from all over the world. His friend shared how he had a guest who inquired after settling in, “Now, where’s the fall foliage?” The innkeeper pointed outside and said “Out there”. But the guest replied, “But where’s the fall foliage?” The innkeeper specifically pointed to the colorful trees and said, “That’s the fall foliage!”
The guest rather frustratingly responded, “Well I can see that where I live”. He had probably heard people say you need to go to New England to see the fall foliage and so he made the trip. However, apparently he had come not even knowing what “fall foliage” is! Walter thinks he may have thought fall foliage was some kind of event or festival rather than the peak fall colors of the leaves.
Indeed you can see fall foliage all throughout the world wherever there are deciduous trees. Some species are especially colorful such as maples which are abundant in New England. But there’s pretty fall foliage in many places such as the Poconos here in Pennsylvania. The leaves on the oaks in our front lawn turn a beautiful red. Out west people talk about seeing the aspens.
The guest did not see the fall foliage because he apparently didn’t know what fall foliage was. Here's a definition, "a phenomenon that affects the normal green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of red, yellow, purple, black, blue, orange, magenta, and brown."
Today’s text has a phrase that we will consider, “have been clearly seen”. This was speaking of God’s invisible qualities that are indeed seen through His creation, “being understood from what has been made”. Today, although they can be “clearly seen”, they are still missed by so many; those who really don’t care to know but would rather live with excuses.
The Christian Classics commentary observes, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” “But humanity today prefers Hollywood’s “sound-pictures” to seeing the “things” of the glorious God in the heavens,—beholding His works, and hearing their speech. How long has it been since you have gone out and gazed at moon and stars, made by the blessed God, traveling in such quiet glory, beauty, power, and order? Men know, if they care to know, that an infinite Majesty made and controls this.”
They are continually on display to be seen and perceived, continuously beheld fully, distinctly apprehended. It is not as if God gives rebellious, truth rejecting mankind just one brief peak at His glorious handiwork! They are continuously on display all around us regardless of where we live.
There is a similarity here to our opening “fall foliage” illustration but like most illustrations it’s only approximate. In the case of the Bed and Breakfast guest he didn’t see because he really must not have understood what fall foliage meant. But he was seeking it.
George Washington Carver, one of my favorite scientists, wrote, "Nature is an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only will tune in."
Today many have no interest in seeking God. 2 Corinthians might be considered an explanation but it is not an excuse, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”.
But in the case of so many who fail to clearly see through Creation the eternal power and divine nature of God, they are ultimately without excuse.
When you see fall foliage do you know what you are looking for? Can you clearly see the handwork of God?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, Your creation is a visible
testimony to Your invisible qualities of power,
glory and majesty. From the mountains to the
prairies, from the oceans to the forests, from the
moon, sun and stars to the vegetation on earth,
Your handiwork proclaims Your glory in splendid
array. We testify to Your greatness made evident
to us by the Spirit of Christ as He takes up
residency within our hearts, making known to us
the power of salvation. Amen.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Technical note: We have had a tough week with technical issues. Monday we had internet problems that canceled Monday's message. A tech came yesterday and all is well with a new modem . Then late yesterday afternoon I noticed the website was down. After several calls to tech support it finally came back up this afternoon.
Message summary: When you see fall foliage do you know what you are looking for? Can you clearly see the handwork of God?
Listen
to this
message on your audio player.“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 people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
For many years New England has been a popular destination for fall travel due to the beautiful fall foliage. Having lived up that way for 8 years in the nineties we can testify that there is a special beauty of autumn in New England.
But yesterday I heard an interesting perspective on fall foliage from Walter, a project manager at White Oak Display. He shared about a recent visit to Vermont where he has a friend who operates a Bed and Breakfast.
This is a very busy season in New England with tourists coming in from all over the world. His friend shared how he had a guest who inquired after settling in, “Now, where’s the fall foliage?” The innkeeper pointed outside and said “Out there”. But the guest replied, “But where’s the fall foliage?” The innkeeper specifically pointed to the colorful trees and said, “That’s the fall foliage!”
The guest rather frustratingly responded, “Well I can see that where I live”. He had probably heard people say you need to go to New England to see the fall foliage and so he made the trip. However, apparently he had come not even knowing what “fall foliage” is! Walter thinks he may have thought fall foliage was some kind of event or festival rather than the peak fall colors of the leaves.
Indeed you can see fall foliage all throughout the world wherever there are deciduous trees. Some species are especially colorful such as maples which are abundant in New England. But there’s pretty fall foliage in many places such as the Poconos here in Pennsylvania. The leaves on the oaks in our front lawn turn a beautiful red. Out west people talk about seeing the aspens.
The guest did not see the fall foliage because he apparently didn’t know what fall foliage was. Here's a definition, "a phenomenon that affects the normal green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of red, yellow, purple, black, blue, orange, magenta, and brown."
Today’s text has a phrase that we will consider, “have been clearly seen”. This was speaking of God’s invisible qualities that are indeed seen through His creation, “being understood from what has been made”. Today, although they can be “clearly seen”, they are still missed by so many; those who really don’t care to know but would rather live with excuses.
The Christian Classics commentary observes, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” “But humanity today prefers Hollywood’s “sound-pictures” to seeing the “things” of the glorious God in the heavens,—beholding His works, and hearing their speech. How long has it been since you have gone out and gazed at moon and stars, made by the blessed God, traveling in such quiet glory, beauty, power, and order? Men know, if they care to know, that an infinite Majesty made and controls this.”
They are continually on display to be seen and perceived, continuously beheld fully, distinctly apprehended. It is not as if God gives rebellious, truth rejecting mankind just one brief peak at His glorious handiwork! They are continuously on display all around us regardless of where we live.
There is a similarity here to our opening “fall foliage” illustration but like most illustrations it’s only approximate. In the case of the Bed and Breakfast guest he didn’t see because he really must not have understood what fall foliage meant. But he was seeking it.
George Washington Carver, one of my favorite scientists, wrote, "Nature is an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only will tune in."
Today many have no interest in seeking God. 2 Corinthians might be considered an explanation but it is not an excuse, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”.
But in the case of so many who fail to clearly see through Creation the eternal power and divine nature of God, they are ultimately without excuse.
When you see fall foliage do you know what you are looking for? Can you clearly see the handwork of God?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, Your creation is a visible
testimony to Your invisible qualities of power,
glory and majesty. From the mountains to the
prairies, from the oceans to the forests, from the
moon, sun and stars to the vegetation on earth,
Your handiwork proclaims Your glory in splendid
array. We testify to Your greatness made evident
to us by the Spirit of Christ as He takes up
residency within our hearts, making known to us
the power of salvation. Amen.Today
we will share fall foliage photos we
have shared on this site through the
years. This site now has over 15,000
photos and images so we have quite an
archive collection to draw from!
Our friends Cerwin and Doris High visited Branson, Missouri and I saw this nice photo on her blog revealing the beauty of the Autumn season in another part of the country dear to us. Branson is where we had our honeymoon and is near Springfield MO where we both went to college.
Lori, a reader from Cedar Rapids Iowa, sent us this Autumn photo she had taken in her hometown.
The Lehigh River forms a quiet pool at this point although through much of the gorge it is rapids.
Delaware pond with fall foliage
(Photo by Duke)
The burning bushes are in full crimson array in our area.
This beautiful tree-lined lane leading to an old farmhouse is just around the corner from our house. The splattering fall colors of foliage seem so inviting for a stroll down the country lane!
Our friends Cerwin and Doris High visited Branson, Missouri and I saw this nice photo on her blog revealing the beauty of the Autumn season in another part of the country dear to us. Branson is where we had our honeymoon and is near Springfield MO where we both went to college.
Lori, a reader from Cedar Rapids Iowa, sent us this Autumn photo she had taken in her hometown.
The Lehigh River forms a quiet pool at this point although through much of the gorge it is rapids.
Quehanna
Highway across the Allegheny Plateau
in north-central Pennsylvania.
Delaware pond with fall foliage
(Photo by Duke)
The burning bushes are in full crimson array in our area.
This beautiful tree-lined lane leading to an old farmhouse is just around the corner from our house. The splattering fall colors of foliage seem so inviting for a stroll down the country lane!
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"All
Heaven Declares" Video Martin
Ball
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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