God’s Other Book
By Susan Klein
“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...”
Romans 1:20 (NIV)
Like many others, I have read through the entire Bible, cover to cover. I used to believe that everything I needed to know and all the answers to life’s questions were in this Book. I discovered I was wrong. Some things can’t be learned from the written word and some questions simply have no answers this side of heaven. Might I deduce that God’s Book is incomplete? Perhaps. Faith wouldn’t necessarily have a place in our lives if all the answers were in black and white. However, I believe the Creator has given us a second source from which to glean valuable truths. It is what my friend affectionately calls: “God’s Other Book.”
Look around you. Were you reading it while you gazed at the evening sun disappearing from the horizon as the sky turned brilliant with color? You didn’t fear it was gone forever because the Author assured you it would return the next morning. And, when those crocuses and tulips popped up from the snow-covered ground, did they make your heart dance with joyful anticipation of spring and new life? This is God’s Other Book. In fact, you read it on a daily basis. There are lessons you’ve learned, pictures of God’s character you’ve seen, and answers to questions you’ve found in its pages. It’s a book that has brought you great comfort and hope as you’ve seen it, felt it, and experienced it.
Consider the Monarch butterfly, just one of over one million species of animals you’ll find in this book. A tiny, fragile creature that can be crushed with the slightest of pressure, yet has the incredible strength to fly over 2,000 miles to overwinter in a very specific high elevation forest in Mexico. Its offspring instinctively know to fly north again, often returning to their place of origin, to find the food they need to survive. [1] What do you read about strength and endurance here? How does it speak to you of God’s character, His design, and His provision? What joy does it bring you to watch the fluttering of its magnificently colored wings?
Spend some intentional time in God’s other Book. Don’t walk blindly past it, don’t skim quickly over it. Immerse yourself in it. See what He has for you amongst its pages!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Take time this week to be still before God’s creation. Ask Him to speak to your heart through what you see. Listen for His voice. Offer Him your worship.
FURTHER READING:
Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3njFNmc-W2k
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3njFNmc-W2k
