Intertribal Life Newspaper -

I have recently thought a lot about light, water and seeds that God created. But I've also begun to see another pattern. It took me years to see the pattern. Even as I studied God's Word and linked it together with scientific facts, I failed to see the big picture until God focused the truth for me.

Here is what He showed me: Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. John 1:3 reveals that Jesus is the Creator. The One who perfumed the flowers, flavored our food, spun the galaxies and set love and laughter in our hearts is the One who went to the cross!

God commanded the light to shine into the darkness. Just as all physical life depends on physical light, our spiritual lives depend on Christ, the light of the world. He overcame the prince of darkness and invites us to share His inheritance in God's kingdom of light. I like thinking about what that looks like.

God divided the waters so that the waters above not only protect us from outer space, but they also regulate and replenish the waters on earth. Jesus not only sustains us, but He promises rivers of living water to flow out from us to others through the Holy Spirit.

He raised seed-bearing plants from the dry ground. Jesus linked the seed principle to His own life and death. "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). My faith grows when I look at an apple seed and then eat an apple. What an awesome transformation! God promises the same for our spirits.

I used to take earth's wonders for granted. I couldn't imagine a world any different than the one I lived in. I even thought that when Jesus referred to something in nature to teach a lesson, He used simple objects to teach simple lessons to simple people (like me). But this is not true! Instead, Jesus created these marvelous wonders to purposefully reflect who He is and to reveal the intimate relationship He desires to have with each one of us! Our Creator actually wants us to know Him. He invites us to walk with Him, hear His heart and share His life as His bride.

"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. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).

Our solar system, our galaxy, the Milky Way and the billions of other galaxies that travel through space truly proclaim God's glory, power and majesty, but sometimes the immensity of it all only makes me feel small and insignificant, like God is too big or distant to care. Then I read another scripture like Psalm 147:3-5 and 11. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit . . . the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

The One who calls the stars by name also calls us by name. That seems impossible to me, but then so does a whole apple tree full of juicy apples coming from one tiny brown seed.

Sue Carlisle grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, her passion is to encourage people to look at creation and see our awesome Creator. Sue is author of Walking with the Creator Along the Narrow Road (2013 Indian Life Books). She and her husband, Wes, now live in Thunder Bay, Ontario.