To Recognize God

by Keith Gardner

Ecclesiastes 3:11 [God] has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

On April 12, 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to go into space. He was credited with saying; "No god up here." In 2006, Yuri’s friend, Col. Valentine Petrov, stated that he did not say that but, it was instead a fabrication by the Soviet regime under Nikita Khrushchev. Either way, for over 45 years this acclaimed statement was an anthem for atheist who believed there is no God. Compare that with the events of December 24, 1968, while going to the moon, Apollo 8 astronauts Jim Lovell, Bill Anders and Frank Borman read from Genesis 1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” They concluded there three minute reading and comments with; “from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you on this good earth.” Have you ever wondered how some can see the evidence of God all around them and others can find no evidence of God anywhere?

The Psalmist decreed; “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge” (Psalms 19:1-2). All around us is evidence of the existence of our Creator. His handiwork is seen in the majesty of the mountains, in the power of the oceans and in the grandeur of the night’s sky. Paul reminds us that we have no excuse for not recognizing God. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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. 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” (Romans 1:18-21). The scriptures remind us that there will come a day when the goats and the sheep are divided. It will also be a time when we are confronted with the reality of God; some to their delight and others to their shame.

It would be easy here to feel a sense of pride and even arrogance for my recognizing the reality of God. But, then I remember Mary Magdalene, in the garden of the tomb where Jesus had been buried; talking to her beloved and not recognizing that He was indeed alive. Or the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus when Jesus joined them, had a conversation with them, but they did not realize that the reason for their sadness was alive and right there with them. How often have I missed the reality of the Father working in my life, or His mighty hand protecting me, providing for me, remaking me, or just loving me? No pride now. All of a sudden, I am filled with the wonder of a loving God. May I never again miss Him; may I never again fail to see His handiwork, or the display of His love.