“Since God is, before all things, a Father, and not primarily Creator or Ruler, all His ways are beautifully fatherly. It is not that this God “does” being Father as a day job, only to kick back in the evenings as plain old “God.”

Just as a piece of literature should tell us something about its author, or a timepiece its architect, so too does creation – both seen and unseen – reveal its Creator. As David says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). 

Indeed, “all things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). The Lord cannot but pour Himself into all His handiwork, for it is through Him and for Him that all things made find their substance, worth, and beauty. God has revealed Himself chiefly through the inspired words of Scripture, perfectly manifesting Himself in the Word made flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ His Son; but, God has also seen it fit that all of reality should in some way testify of His majesty and beauty.

However, is it not curious that the many glories of creation appeal to all of us differently? In the study of God’s world, a mathematician may revel in the precision and order of God’s universe, a zookeeper His sense of humor among the animals, and a judge His inscrutable moral perfection. For my part, as a writer, reader, and teacher, I tend to see God’s world and His fingerprints in it through stories – metaphors and echoes of far better things yet to come. Just as marriage here below is the shadow of a richer Heavenly reality, Christ’s relationship with His church (Ephesians 5:31-32), so can we trace our many experiences in this life back to some glorious revelation of our Lord and His eternal love for us.

When I was a teenager, I had horrid acne. I began my development from sapling to young man at a rather early age – though, this was not entirely without some benefits. For example, I was the third tallest boy at my school for a few years (only to lose any lead I had in high school), and I began growing facial hair well before my friends (a lead I still hold over some of them). But then came the acne. Between with my increased height, newfound facial hair, and blossoming acne, I must have looked like two entirely different people between the sixth and seventh grades.

In my pursuit of being acne free, I tried everything: Proactive, organic soap, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera – you name it, I tried it. Proactive seemed to work for a time; only, it was expensive and the moment I stopped treatment my acne came back worse than ever before. Nothing seemed to work. For anyone who has struggled with acne for any length of time, I need not further explain how discouraging this can be – physically, socially, and emotionally.

One evening, when I was about eleven or twelve, I was lying in bed after dinner. Before I fell asleep, however, a knock sounded on the door and my father walked into the room. My father most often knocked to announce that he was about to enter a room, not to ask permission if he could.

Upon entering, my father sat on the edge of my bed for a few minutes while he and I talked. I do not remember what we spoke about – it was so long ago – but I will never forget what happened next.

Read More