The Beauty of Children

There is not one day, no not one that I don't wake up thanking God for what he has given me. Especially when I look at my growing children.

I was witnessing to a middle aged female not to long ago and she stated to me that she believes we are living in hell. She also didn't believe in the same God I believed in, stating to me emphatically that if that is how God is "I don't want any part of him."

Going back to my first couple of sentences I would be more inclined to believe we are in Heaven versus hell. However, I guess it depends on where your point of view comes from. If you believe that you are nothing, and that you deserve God's wrath; its safe to say that you have a high view of God, and great dose of thankfulness for your beating heart he allows to beat. If on the other hand, you don't see God as all controlling and all knowing, that there is no plan and we are "accidents", I can see why you would feel that we live in Hell.

I don't see how anyone could imagine life as hell. I see too many wonderful things for this to be hell. My heart goes out to this lady I spoke with, she appears to have many good things going for her, but she is missing a reason for living. A reason to be who she is, and a reason to just be thankful. I think we all need to be thankful this morning for what we have. Look at the beautiful people around you. Each one in God's own image, yet each one so different. Look at the natural landscapes available as you travel to and from work today, and thank God for his beauty and existence he displays so freely. Encourage someone today, better yet, encourage someone you don't know, and make a difference for that one person today.

Let me leave you with a little piece of God's beautiful creation today. The picture is of my almost 1 year old daughter named Chloe. I can clearly see God's beauty being displayed through her. Oh, I know I have it so easy, and my prayer is that at age 16 I will still "calmly", see God's beauty in her as she goes through those teenage years.

Oh, by the way, I don't believe we are living in Heaven or hell, but we are living on the planet earth. One day, God will redeem his people and take us to that Celestial City, just like in Pilgrim's Progress. What a glorious day that will be.