Fall, my favorite season of the year, is upon us. And, many agree with me when I say, the great outdoors is amazing. The glory of a sunset, the majesty of the mountains, the lush green valleys, sparkling streams, and twinkling stars are beautiful to behold. The beauty of God’s creation exceeds anything man-made. And the more you know about it the more marvelous it is. But it’s more than interesting or inspirational, it is instructive (Rom.1:20)—it teaches us, yet only to a certain degree. We need more information than what creation can provide.
As a boy I spent many nights sleeping outside under the stars. Although ignorant of the Bible I was convinced that what I saw was the handiwork of a divine being. It amazed me, and I’m sure many folks feel the same, but some people misunderstand. There is a big difference in recognizing God and having a relationship with God. Many who do the former are content to just leave it there without ever going on to the latter. But, without Christ, they are no better off than the atheist, or the self-righteous Jews who crucified Christ.
Creation declares the presence and power of God, but not His precepts. His works declare His wonder, but only His Word describes His will. You can look at creation and conclude that there is a God, but you don’t learn anything about His attributes and commands. The Word of God tells us what creation alone can’t. It isn’t enough to just admire His creation, we must be acquainted with His counsel. The Bible tells us who He is, what He expects, what He has done, and how we can have a relationship with Him.
God’s Word is perfect in every way and never leads us astray. We should turn to it often, trust it always, search out its counsel, obey its commands, follow its principles, and claim its promises. It is food for our soul, light for our path, a map for our journey, a sword against our enemies, a well of refreshment, and much much more than words can tell. To neglect it is to put ourselves in great peril. The Bible alone unravels the mysteries of God. And we have no right to ascribe anything to Him, nor describe anything about Him unless it is clearly declared in His holy Word. We must “search the scriptures”.
